


Unhappily Arranged

by brighterbolder



Category: Figure Skating RPF
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Enemies to Lovers, Love, royal
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-18
Updated: 2018-10-01
Packaged: 2019-06-29 01:54:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 25,820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15719520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brighterbolder/pseuds/brighterbolder
Summary: The princess doesn’t like her prince. The prince doesn’t like his princess. Despite all this, one can only hope for a fairy tale ending.AKAT & S are royally arranged to be married, much to their mutual displeasure.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> **EDIT: I changed the title, it used to be “What’s Love Got To Do With It” :) thanks for reading.
> 
> I wrote this fic wayyy back in May 2018 (around the actual royal wedding haha). I basically forgot about it since then and stumbled upon it in my drafts, so I thought why the hell not post it. I haven’t been super involved in the TS fandom lately and I haven’t read any TS fanfics in forever, so I hope that this fanfic will be alright and that the royalty plot hasn’t been too repetitive. ~~enjoy

_ Another ball. Another waste of time.  _

 

“You can’t keep doing this, Tessa my dear,” Queen Kate said wearily, following her unenthusiastic daughter into her chambers. “There were plenty of fine young princes that are more than capable of being a match for you!”

“But their personalities...” Tessa winced, recalling the mundane small talk and the unimpressively long, winding titles of men with vacant eyes. “They are just so dull, mother. Heaven forgive me if I dare beg for a man who can talk about something other than his Andalusian horses.”

Sighing, Tessa approached her vanity and unbuttoned the hooded cape that rested on her shoulders, resting it on a chair. She began to unfasten a stubborn pearl necklace from around her neck, catching her mother’s gaze in the mirror. Her mother’s eyes weren’t disappointed, but rather sad. She’d forgotten the last time they had looked even remotely  _ hopeful. _

Her mother neared her and unfastened the necklace herself, placing it on the vanity. “Tessa, darling,” she began gently, brushing a curl of hair out of Tessa’s face. “You are next in line for the throne. Down the line, our family will need an heir, and you’re getting older.”

Tessa groaned into her mother’s embrace. “You don’t need to remind me. I know how important it is, mother. I’d just like to be happy.”

“I want that for you, too, of course,” her mother said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Her mother’s touch was always soothing to her. “Are you sure that there weren’t any princes who caught your eye tonight? Not a single one worth seeing again?”

Solemnly, Tessa shook her head. “I’m sorry, mother. Maybe next time.”

Truth be told, Tessa didn’t want there to be a next time. Entering a grand, sparkling ballroom with a dozens of eligible royal bachelors vying for her attention could make any princess’ heart flutter. The classical music, the waltz dancing, the fine wine, and the elegant dresses all added up to something so ethereal, so fanciful, so decadent; a perfect storm for a romantic encounter. But, in the end, it meant nothing if the suitors were only as interesting as their inheritances. 

The looming pressure to meet another royal and produce an heir followed Tessa as if it were her own shadow. Being next in line for the crown was frightening, especially since she was to follow her mother, the greatly adored queen of their country. Secretly, though she knew that running a country is the biggest responsibility there is, she wondered if she could be a queen on her own, without marrying another royal and without an heir from her direct family line. She’d always been more of an introvert, after all, and being alone had never been much of a problem for her. 

But, she knew that this couldn’t be an option. She had been given the responsibility of carrying on the royal line of Virtue. She just wished it didn’t have to be so hard to find a partner that really would be the right match for her. He had to be royal, of course, but it would also be nice if he was funny, kind, and perhaps the outgoing type that could balance out her naturally shy personality. He couldn’t be boring, nor could he completely concern himself with the luxuries that came with royal blood; he had to have a sense of humility. Though she knew there was a slim chance, if there was a prince out there that ticked all of these boxes, perhaps her future wouldn’t be so terrifying after all. 

“Princess Tessa, your Royal Highness,” her Lady-in-Waiting greeted her the next morning, preparing to pour tea. “Will you be attending the event at the racecourse this afternoon?”

Instantly, Tessa remembered her obligation to watch her mother’s horses race at the track. She groaned internally as she had initially wanted a quiet day to herself, sipping tea and reading  _ Pride and Prejudice. _ Lord knows she needed a day to herself after having her toes stepped on by noblemen who couldn’t dance to save their lives. 

“I suppose so,” she sighed, looking longingly at her novel left lonely on the shelf. “Will the Duchess of Kitchener be in attendance?”

The Duchess of Kitchener, otherwise known as Kaitlyn, had been Tessa’s close friend since they were young. Recently, she had been arranged to be married to the Duke of Waterloo, a tall, dark-haired man named Andrew. They were to marry in a month’s time. Tessa wasn’t sure how she felt about arranged marriages. After all, there was no guarantee that the man would have the qualities that she was looking for. She’d heard horror stories of duchesses and princesses being married off to men more than twice their age. She’d even heard of a countess who had had no other choice but to marry the son of a notoriously malicious baroness. Perhaps she was a bit of a swooning romantic, but she wanted to have a genuine, strong connection with the man she would marry, and she highly doubted that she would find that in a prince her parents chose. 

“Yes, the Duchess of Kitchener will be there,” her Lady-in-Waiting replied, handing her a saucer filled with hot tea. “Shall I arrange the sun hats for your choosing?”

“Tessa, dearest!” Kaitlyn called out to her, waving her hand excitedly. The pleasant summer breeze caused the ribbon in Kaitlyn’s wide-brimmed hat to float in the wind, her blond hair blowing around her. It was a beautiful day outside, and Tessa reasoned that maybe it was not such a bad idea to venture outdoors after all.  

“Kaitlyn, how lovely it is to see you again!” Tessa said warmly, embracing her friend. As Tessa brought her arm around Kaitlyn, she immediately noticed a large sapphire ring adorning her bubbly friend’s ring finger. It gleamed in the light and seemed almost as bright as the sun itself.

“Wow,” Tessa commented, motioning to her friend’s engagement ring. Her friend blushed in response and brought it closer for viewing. “That is quite the rock. How is the Duke of Waterloo doing, anyhow?”

Tessa was really only asking to be polite as she wasn’t in the mood to hear another princess drone on about her misgivings about her future planned wedding. However, much to Tessa’s surprise, upon hearing his title, a large grin spanned Kaitlyn’s face and her eyes lit up. “He’s amazing, Tess,” Kaitlyn gushed, admiring her ring. “He’s so smart and so kind, and he treats me very well.”

“Really?” Tessa asked doubtfully, searching her friend’s face for any kind of sign that she was telling a lie. She found nothing, and instead was met with Kaitlyn’s genuine smile. 

“Yes! He really is the perfect match for me, Tessa,” Kaitlyn said happily, adjusting the jewelled broach pinned to her cardigan. “At first, I wasn’t sure that I’d like to have an arranged marriage, but my parents had insisted that he was a nice guy. And he is!”

Tessa couldn’t stop the uncertainty from seeping into her voice. “Are you sure, Kaitlyn?” she asked, clearly concerned. She was just looking out for her friend, after all. It was rare to hear of an arranged marriage in which both parties were happy. 

“Yes, Tessa,” Kaitlyn said, rubbing her friend’s shoulder. “I didn’t think that it would work out but it did. I really do love him, and he loves me back.”

Tessa couldn’t deny her friend’s happiness. Kaitlyn’s usual, outgoing glow was even more radiant now that she was in love.  _ Maybe arranged marriages aren’t so bad after all?  _ Tessa wondered, and the shadow of her future appeared once again.  _ What if it comes to this? What if this is what happens to me?  _

Snapping out of her thoughts, she turned to Kaitlyn as the jockeys began to line up their horses on the track. “So, when do I get to meet the lucky fellow?”

“Today!” Kaitlyn exclaimed, and she gestured towards the entrance of the spectator area. Tessa followed Kaitlyn’s pointed finger and she saw a group of men laughing and sporting nice attire. The tallest of the bunch caught Kaitlyn’s eye and waved, to which Kaitlyn waved enthusiastically in response. 

“He’s here with some of his friends today,” Kaitlyn explained, just as the announcer declared that the race would commence shortly. “A couple of princes, a baron, you’ll see.” 

The Duke of Waterloo made his way over to the girls, his dark hair styled nicely and a quaint smile on his lips. “Kaitlyn, darling,” he said, taking her hands in his and bending down to kiss her cheek, to which Kaitlyn giggled. Immediately, Tessa noticed that he had his own heart eyes to match Kaitlyn’s, and he held her hands so tenderly.  _ This was arranged _ , Tessa thought in incredulously _. This was arranged and they’re in love.  _

“And of course,” Andrew, said, turning to Tessa, his smile nothing but charming. “Her Royal Highness, Princess Tessa of London, such an immense pleasure to finally meet you.” 

Tessa accepted his hand when he offered it and shook it gracefully. “Likewise, Your Grace. I’ve heard great things about you from Kaitlyn.” 

The three began to chat about the upcoming wedding, and Kaitlyn spared no details about her flower arrangements and musical performers.  Andrew nodded along intently, hanging on to every word she said. But with the way he was looking at her, Tessa reasoned that he didn’t care about what kind of wedding they were to have, so long as they were married. 

Then, Kaitlyn brought up the dreaded subject, and Tessa melted, just a little bit, on the inside. “So,” Kaitlyn said suggestively, arching an eyebrow. “How was last night’s ball?”

Kaitlyn had been in attendance at Tessa’s first royal ball and had watched as countless suitors tried (and failed) to impress the Princess of London. Last night had been the fifth ball to no avail. 

“Well,” Tessa began, unsure how to voice the utter unsuccessfulness of it all. “No one appealed to me, honestly.” 

“Andrew,” Kaitlyn said, turning to him, her eyes alight with a plan. Instantly, Tessa knew what she was doing. “You simply  _ must _ introduce Tessa to your friends!”

“Oh,” Tessa said, trying to stop the deep blush from overtaking her face. “I don’t think—“

“Sure!” Andrew said with equal enthusiasm as Kaitlyn. Before Tessa could protest, Andrew stood up and beckoned towards the group of royals who were pointing out their favoured fine racehorses. The two men approached them, poking jokes at one another. Kaitlyn stood up and latched onto Andrew’s arm, and Tessa stood as well, feeling the heat of embarrassment burn within her.

“Boys,” Andrew began, gesturing towards Tessa, who wanted to shrink inside herself. She forced herself to put a smile on her face and adjusted her floral hat. “This is Her Royal Highness Princess Tessa of London, of Virtue House.”

Politely, the two men took turns shaking Tessa’s hand as Andrew introduced them individually. “This is Prince Patrick of Ottawa,” Andrew said, clapping the back of a man with kind eyes. Patrick smiled warmly and asked how she was doing, and Tessa appreciated his friendliness. “And this is Baron Javier of Madrid,” Andrew continued, gesturing towards the man with dark, curly hair and soft eyes. “And this is— wait, where did he go?”

“The race is set to commence at once,” the announcer declared, and the group of five all sat and watched as the jockeys settled on their horses in the starting position. Andrew eyes wandered around the stands, and Tessa couldn’t help but wonder who he was looking for. Suddenly, a gun shot rang throughout the stadium, and the horses began to gallop. Tessa watched respectfully as one of her mother’s horses, Goldie, ran towards the finish line, pulling far ahead of all the other horses. She’d never been much of a fan of equestrian sports, but it was nice to watch the the stallions zoom past her, their horseshoes  _ clop, clop, clopping  _ among the cheers. Goldie was one of the fastest horses there, following closely behind a fine, brown creature. At the last second, Goldie managed to pull ahead, demoting the brown horse to second place.

“What?” a loud voice echoed, just as the group had begun to clap politely. Tessa turned and her eyes fixated on a man a few rows back on the other side of the stands, who was stood up with his arms spread in shock. “That horse clearly pushed Babs out of his lane!” the man bellowed passionately. “Wake up!”

Tessa couldn’t help but roll her eyes at the obnoxious, boisterous man who seemed way too invested in the sport. Sure, she appreciated a nice, outgoing guy, but she’d never been into loud people.  _ There’s no way that he could be a royal _ , Tessa thought. 

“Oh, there he is,” Andrew said, motioning towards the man whom Tessa had been looking down upon. When the man caught Andrew’s eye, he gave him a crooked smile and made his way over, causing Tessa to chant  _ no, no, no _ in her mind. To her displeasure, the man came right over and jovially patted Andrew on the back.

“Princess Tessa of London, of Virtue House,” Andrew said formally. “This is Prince Scott of Ilderton, of Moir House.” 

Tessa willed herself to smile as she held a hand out, to which the prince took and shook politely. The prince wasn’t bad looking, she had to admit. He had styled dark hair and a muscular stature that was accentuated through his dress shirt. But when she looked into his brown eyes, she felt something spark within her. Could it be familiarity? 

“That was your family’s horse, wasn’t it?” Prince Scott asked, nodding a head towards the track. If he seemed a little sour about the outcome of the race, Tessa pretended not to notice. “The one that passed Babs?”

Tessa nodded curtly, smoothing down her skirt. “Yes, it was my mother’s horse, Goldie. Your horse put up a good race.” 

“You two have already met each other,” Kaitlyn interjected, not letting go of Andrew’s hand. “Remember when we were children ice skating at the town square?”

And just like that, Tessa is transported to twenty years ago, when she was a young child who enjoyed ice skating in the wintertime to escape the pressures of charm school. She remembered her and Kaitlyn with their soft mitten, cotton berets, and little navy pea coats, giggling as they skated figure eights. She also remembered the other royal boys who’d come to the rink, the ones who’d pull their pigtails roughly and stick their tongues out at them. The ones who’d make fun of her without mercy and subject her to tears.

_ “Get out of here!” Tessa yelled, as a familiar-looking boy with a long nose and brown eyes flew past them. He turned around and skated fast towards them, stopping abruptly for ice shavings to scrape off of his blade and onto the girls’ legs. The cold snow seeped into their tights, causing them to shiver. _

_ The boy gave them a mischievous smile and plucked the beret right off of Tessa’s head, then skated away to go yell and make jokes with his friends, who threw her hat back and forth, taunting her. Tessa did not want to see that mean boy ever again, and she’d make sure of it. _

“Yes, I remember,” Tessa said, a tinge of annoyance in her voice. Scott’s long nose and smile hadn’t changed a bit since then, and even now he seemed just as loud and mischievous and far from ideal.

“I remember as well,” Scott said breezily, stretching his arms out. “You girls were fun to play pranks on back then.”

All of a sudden, the smile on Scott’s face disappeared and contorted into a frown, his eyebrows furrowed as he looked at Tessa, who felt uncomfortable in his gaze. “Wait a minute, weren’t you the one who told my father about my pranks? He was so angry with me that he sent me to French class and forbade me from skating the following winter.”

Tessa couldn’t help the sly smile on her face as she recalled complaining to her mother about that mean boy’s antics, to which her mother, the remarkable queen, had promptly alerted the Moir House in response. She felt a bit of pride knowing that as a young girl, she had put the infuriating boy in his place.

“Oh, perhaps that was me. I apologize,” Tessa said smiling sweetly, not meaning a single word. She couldn’t help but feel quite smug.

Scott’s eyes narrowed and he turned towards the track just as the announcer proclaimed that the second race was to begin. “One of my other horses is racing. Excuse me,” he said shortly. He sat next to Baron Javier, slapping his friend’s back and making quips about the jockeys.

As Andrew went to join them, Kaitlyn ushered Tessa away from their seats and whispered excitedly, “So? What do you think?”

Tessa gave her friend a weary side glance and noted how her joyful attitude contrasted her own exasperated one. “About what?”

“You know,” Kaitlyn nudged her, motioning to the men. At this point, Tessa was tired of letting down the people in her life because she lacked a significant other. Deciding to please her friend, she relented.

“I mean, I guess Prince Patrick seems nice?” Tessa offered. She wasn’t lying, he did seem really nice, but in more of a friendly way, not a romantic way. But with the eager smile that Kaitlyn was giving her, she didn’t bother to clarify. As per usual, she wasn’t interested in the royals presented to her,  _ especially _ not the rambunctious one who had been her childhood enemy.

Tessa and Kaitlyn settled in their seats again, with Tessa sitting as far away as she could from Scott. As the second round of horses began their race, Tessa found it harder and harder to ignore the memories Prince Scott’s teasing and pranks while they were growing up. He sure was an irritating and sneaky boy who had enjoyed upsetting her. What were the chances that he was good friends with his best friend’s fiancée?

After the second race, Javier, Patrick, and Scott rose from their seats to get drinks, and Kaitlyn somehow snuggled even further into Andrew. Tessa sighed, her desire to be at home with her novel not leaving her. Just her, all alone, with a cup of earl grey and a warm quilt, reading about Darcy and Elizabeth’s tumultuous relationship. Just as she had begun to fantasize about running a nice bath and settling into her silk sheets for a snooze once she arrived back at the palace, she heard someone awkwardly shuffling and tripping, and suddenly, the front of her patterned sheath dress was soaked with dark liquor.

“Goodness!” she cried, standing up to look down at her ruined attire. Her eyes caught the brown leather of men’s dress shoes, and she snapped her head back up to be met with Scott’s apologetic face.

“I am so sorry, Your Royal Highness,” Scott rushed, searching for a handkerchief in his pocket with one hand whilst balancing an empty glass in the other. “It was completely accidental, I swear!”

Though his apology sounded genuine, Tessa could not help but scoff as the strong-smelling liquid permeated her nice clothing. “Perhaps you should watch where you’re going,” she snapped, her finishing school manners nowhere to be found.

“Please, allow me to escort you back to your palace, I really am sorry,” he insisted, finally locating his handkerchief and offering it to her. She took it and dabbed at the stains to no avail.

“I don’t think so,” she sneered, handing him his handkerchief. She had already had a rough night the previous day, what with all the noblemen disappointing her. And today, she was face to face with the boy who had made her blood boil in her youth, the boy who was now a man who had so carelessly spilled his drink all over her pretty dress. She reasoned that this day could not possibly get any worse.

Later, when she would arrive back home at the palace with her cardigan miserably failing to cover the liquor stains, she would discover that she was wrong. The day would get worse. Much, much worse.

“Tessa, come greet our guests,” her mother would later say, shortly after urging her to change her spoiled clothes. “They’ve come from Ilderton.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> T and S receive terrible, horrible, no good, very bad news.
> 
> AKA
> 
> "Act like you love him."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the support on the first chapter! At this time, I do not know how many chapters this story will have, but I have many exciting things planned. Stay tuned :)

“Tessa?” her mother whispered harshly, unable to mask the shock her voice. Tessa had just arrived back from the race and had come face-to-face with her mother in the palace foyer. “Have you been drinking?”

Tessa knew that she smelled like a whisky distillery, and she groaned and peeled off her cardigan. “No, mother, some stupid fool at the race clumsily spilled his drink all over me.”

“Well, you must go and change at once,” her mother said urgently, her nose wrinkling at the scent as she beckoned for the Lady-in-Waiting. “Go wear something nice.”

“Why?” Tessa asked curiously, bunching up her cardigan in her hands, wringing it slightly. The liquid coated her hands and dripped onto the marble floor.

“Just go and come down to the dining room promptly, dear. We will be waiting for you.”

_We?_

Tessa rushed to her room and changed out of her soaked clothing into a deep blue midi dress, knowing that she had to look nice for whoever was waiting in the dining room with her mother. Her plans of having a bubble bath and relaxing into her soft bed all but forgotten as she most definitely was not in the mood to entertain anyone tonight.

When she went back down the grand staircase, her mother met her at the bottom, taking hold of her elbow and guiding her to the dining room, much to her confusion. _What could possibly be so urgent?_

“Tessa, come greet our guests,” her mother said, a quaint smile adorning her face. “They’ve come from Ilderton.”

_Ilderton?_

“Tessa, this is Queen Alma of Ilderton and King Joe of Ilderton,” her mother said formally, beckoning towards the regal couple seated at the dining room table. “They’re from Moir House.”

Upon hearing their names, Tessa could feel her heart drop out of her chest and down to her stomach. She could feel her jaw open in shock and she could not bring herself to close it. She gazed wordlessly at the expectant couple sitting at the table, both of them giving her a confused yet polite smile. _Moir House?!_

“Tessa, dear,” her mother whispered, clearly embarrassed. She nudged Tessa’s arm which was slack at her side. “Don’t be rude, greet them.”

Fumbling, Tessa awkwardly curtsied, nearly losing her balance. She could practically feel her mother’s disapproval at her lack of proper etiquette. “Your Majesty. I, um, apologize. It is such an honor.”

“It is so nice to see you, too, Princess Tessa,” Queen Alma greeted warmly, seeming unbothered by Tessa’s lack of grace. “You are just as pretty as they say.”

Tessa blushed and words escaped her once again as she wondered why that _stupid_ fool’s parents were in her palace. They seemed nice enough already, seeing that they had punished him for bullying her as a child and made no comment on her current frazzled state. _How could two lovely people produce such a brash and brazen son like—_

“—Scott,” King Joe said, and Tessa realized that she had zoned out and missed most of the conversation. Her mother glanced at her inquiringly and Tessa looked back and forth between her and the royal couple.

“So, Tessa, what do you think?” her mother asked, rubbing her forearm soothingly.

“About what?” Tessa said, still dumbfounded. Her mother sighed exasperatedly and smiled apologetically to the king and queen.

“About marrying Scott, of course,” Queen Alma said, chuckling a little. “We have been discussing this with your mother and we believe that you two would be a great match.”

Just when Tessa had believed that her heart could not sink any lower, it fell to the floor and shattered into a million pieces. If she couldn’t speak when she had first seen the royal couple in her dining room, she most definitely could not speak now.

“This arrangement would mean so much to the two kingdoms,” her mother remarked, not addressing her daughter’s pure shock. “London and Ilderton have already had close relations, and this marriage could bridge them even closer.”

“Both London and Ilderton need heirs to continue the royal name,” added King Joe, patting the corners of his mouth with a serviette. “It would work out perfectly.”

“And you and Scott are close in age, too,” Queen Alma commented, still smiling. “I think that the two of you will get along just fine.”

Tessa couldn’t believe the utter devastation that she was feeling. _Marrying Scott? The boy who had been the cause of my tears as a child? The very one who had so boisterously complained about my family’s horse beating his? The man who had so rudely spilled his drink all over my dress?_

“No!” Tessa finally choked out, feeling sobs beginning to build in her chest. “I—I can’t, just, no!”

All three monarchs turned to Tessa in surprise, not expecting her sudden outburst. “Tessa, I understand your shock,” her mother said gently, her eyebrows raised. “But you’ve had many chances to find a suitor, we cannot keep hosting balls all the time.”

“B-but I—”

“Maybe you should have a seat, dear,” Queen Alma said softly, concern lacing her voice. She motioned towards a nearby butler. “It is a lot to take in. Have a glass of water.”

Tessa pulled out a dining chair and sat, struggling to catch her breath. Her mother brushed strands of hair out of her bewildered, red face as she took long sips of a glass of water given to her by the butler. “I just…I can’t believe this,” she uttered quietly, shaking her head in disbelief.

Her mother rubbed her shoulder softly and kissed her head. “I know, but I love you, and I think that this could be something great. For everyone.”

“My Scott’s a very nice boy,” King Joe said, trying to comfort her. “Though I do remember your complaints about him as a child, he isn’t like that anymore, I promise. We’ve made sure that he shaped into a fine young man, more than capable of taking care of you.”

At his words, Tessa deflated, and she wasn’t sure if she had ever felt this heartbroken.

 _God_ , she thought. _I’m royally fucked._

 

\--

 

As the sunlight streamed through her window in harsh, unforgiving rays, Tessa lay in her canopy bed, immobile and exhausted. She hadn’t gotten a wink of sleep since she’d received the news last night, and even eight hours later she still didn’t know what to think.

Marrying her childhood bully was truly the worst possible scenario. She found herself wishing that she had chosen any of the hundreds of men who had attended one of her balls; any man, though uninteresting and incapable of fulfilling her, would be a thousand times better than that stupid fool. It was bad enough that he was friends with her best friend’s fiancé, but for him to be her own fiancé? How could the world possibly be this cruel?

Maybe she was being a bit dramatic and petty, but this truly was a life sentence. She wasn't even sure if she was ready to marry at all, but to marry him of all people?

Prince Scott of Ilderton was an exuberant, impudent man that had suddenly become her destiny. She couldn’t help but question what she had done to deserve such a malicious punishment. Little did she know, at a palace in Ilderton, Scott was questioning the exact same thing.

 

\--

 

Hungover and incredibly angry, Scott groaned into his pillow as his mother ceaselessly knocked on his bedroom door. Ugh. He could hardly fathom the utter betrayal that he felt. His own parents setting him up with the most infuriating woman on the planet? A perfect recipe for disaster.

When he had arrived home last night, still feeling a little bad and embarrassed about spilling his drink all over her, he was surprised to find that his parents were nowhere to be found. An empty palace without company sounded just perfect after the day he had had. His prized horse, Babs, had just lost to his greatest rival’s horse. Moreover, coming face to face with this girl from his past stirred up feelings in him that he had pushed down long ago.

As children, he always had a bit of a liking towards her, though he’d never admit it. He had had no idea how to handle such emotions, so he teased her mercilessly and annoyed her to no end. But when she had finally put her foot down and told his father like the little snitch that she was, the only thing that burned within him was his resentment towards her, especially as he was subjected to his French teacher’s yelling and boring lessons instead of skating at the town square. After that terrible winter sans skating, he vowed that he’d never see that godforsaken stupid girl again, and he’d make sure of it.

Now, against all the chances in the world, she was his apparent fiancée. When his parents had arrived home to the palace, they both had had a strange look on their face. They calmly sat him down, told him the great news that would forever change his life, and accepted the thundering protests he gave them.

“I can’t, no, I _won’t_ marry that _stupid_ girl,” he had said, fuming so madly that steam was practically erupting from his ears. In that moment, he was glad that he had accidentally spilled his drink all over her.

“You were children,” his mother had said simply, her face unchanging. “It’s time to grow up and let go of the past, Scott.”

Scott had never been a fan of letting go of anything, and that included his true hatred towards her. Though he knew how important it was for him to marry a fellow royal and give his royal name an heir, he’d literally rather have anyone else than her.

Now, still knocking too loudly at his door, his mother warned, “Come on, Scott, or else you’ll be late.”

“Fine,” he said sharply, still frustrated with his mother and father. Though he did realize that they were king and queen of Ilderton, they were still his parents, and it hurt a little to know that they had set up such an arrangement for the benefit of everyone else but him. _What the hell did I do to deserve this?_

Scott sat up in his bed and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, trying hard to ignore the pounding sensation that he had in his temples. Today was the day that he would formally meet his fiancée at a luncheon her parents were hosting for his family in their palace gardens. He wasn’t looking forward to it at all. He had always thought that he would eventually find a royal to marry on his own, one that he actually liked. Arranged marriages seemed so horrifying to him, despite his close friend being wrapped around the finger of his own arranged fiancée. He had wanted to find his match in his own time, in his own way. A girl who was reliable and kind, who was honest and gentle. Not smug, malicious, and conniving like the girl that he was to marry at the end of the aisle.

Scott begrudgingly buttoned up his morning coat and fastened his belt, then smoothed back his hair in the mirror. The very last thing that he wanted was to face the Virtue family and pretend that this was what he wanted.

 

•

 

The palace gardens were, once upon a time, Tessa’s favourite place in the entire world. Routinely she’d grab a novel and a pain au chocolat and sit in the shade of a large maple. surrounded by blossoming tulips and the heavenly scent of blooming spring. It was her little haven, so quiet and tranquil.

Now, the quietness and tranquility was nowhere to be found as guests from the two families milled about. Normally, having parties in the palace gardens wouldn’t bother her at all, and she’d smile politely and shake hands and curtsy whenever she had to. But as her eyes spotted an irritated-looking figure standing in her favourite spot underneath the maple tree, she couldn’t stop the scowl from overtaking her face. There he was, that inconsiderate fool, her fiancée, his arms crossed and face scrunched angrily almost comically.

 _God_ , she thought to herself as she saw him lean scornfully against the tree. _I can’t believe this._

His eyes scanned the perimeter and landed on hers, and somehow his expression became even angrier. He started towards her, marching with a mission. Tessa matched his infuriated expression, unable to mask the misery she felt about the arrangement. As he approached, she planned what she would say to him. _Scott Moir, you utter imbecile. I wouldn’t marry you if you were the last man on-_

Suddenly, the looming confrontation was interrupted by a large group of children running happily between them, all laughing and shouting at each other, not a care in the world for the two angry adults on either side of them. Tessa recognized some of her own nieces and nephews among the kids, but she hadn’t seen many of the other kids before. _They must be Moir blood_ , she reasoned, momentarily forgetting the feud that was about to take place. She nearly laughs aloud at the irony of it all. Young Virtue children and young Moir children playing happily together in the palace gardens? Who knew that such a day would come?

Scott weaved his way through the kids to get to her, smiling at them as he did so. But, as soon as he stood before her, his dismayed expression returned with vengeance.

“I won’t do it,” he said to her, not loud enough for their families to hear. “I’m not marrying you. Not in a hundred years. Not now. Not ever.”

Tessa smoothed her dress and tried her best to maintain her composure, which she found difficult given the awful boy who made her blood boil. “I wouldn’t marry you if you were the last man on-“

“Oh, how lovely!” a voice jovially exclaimed. Both of them turned their heads to be met with the sight of Queen Alma, whose smile was bright and unparalleled. She gracefully put a hand on each of their shoulders, bringing the two enemies physically closer. “I’m so happy to see you both chatting.”

“Queen Alma,” Tessa greeted respectfully, feeling a little grateful that she was no longer alone with Scott. “What a pleasure it is to see you again.”

“As to you, my dear,” she said before turning to Scott. She arched an eyebrow at him. “Now, how are we getting along?”

Tessa noticed that Queen Alma’s voice had the same warning tone that her own mother’s voice had this morning when she had urged her to rise from bed. She reckoned that Scott had protested just as much as she had.

Scott sighed. “Just fine, mother,” he said as if her were forcing the words out, his teeth gritted.

“Good,” Queen Alma nodded, squeezing their shoulders softly. Just as she left them and the two were finally left alone, Queen Kate called for everyone’s attention, leaving them no more time to hurl insults at one another.

“Hello everyone!” she called out, a little too gleeful for Tessa’s liking. “I’d like to formally thank all of you for attending the luncheon. Today, Moir House and Virtue House come together for a feast, and I’d like to announce that the Moir family and the Virtue family will soon officially come together in the beautiful union of marriage.”

In a grand fashion, Queen Kate gestured toward Tessa and Scott, who were frozen in place. The congregated families all dutifully turned to the couple-to-be, and immediately Tessa masterfully plastered her trained smile. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Scott doing the same. She felt a hand hesitantly wrap around her waist and she knew that it was his, and she tried with all her might to resist the urge to peel it off.

“My daughter, Princess Tessa of London, and Prince Scott of Ilderton, son of Queen Alma and King Joe of Ilderton, will become husband and wife in two months’ time,” Queen Kate continued, and Tessa nearly choked when she felt Scott’s hand tighten around her out of shock. _Only two months?_ she thought to herself, and she saw the colour completely drain from Scott’s face. She realized that this short time period hadn’t been discussed with either of them.

“Their wedding will unite our neighboring countries and will be a symbol of love and honour for years to come,” Queen Kate declared, clasping her hands in front of her. “Now, shall we feast?”

 

•

 

As the two large families made their way to the tables set up in the garden, Tessa and Scott remained frozen in place, as if they were one of the many statues that were stationed amongst the garden pathways.

 _2 months_ , Scott thought woefully to himself. _Just 2 months left of freedom_.

He remained still even when he felt Tessa release herself from his grip, bustling towards her mother. He heard her ask her mother what exactly she had meant by “two month’s time”.

Scott brought his hand up to his face and rubbed his eyes. It was bad enough that he was hungover, but now he had to deal with the human headache that was Tessa Virtue. Slowly, he made his way towards the head table, nodding at his relatives who smiled at him as he passed. As he reached the eloquently-decorated table, he saw his name place card right next to hers, her cursive name almost taunting him. He obviously should have expected this, but he couldn’t suppress the feeling of dread that welled up within him.

He pulled out his seat and sat down, accepting the lemon water that a server offered him. Silently and without glancing his way, Tessa plopped down beside him, fidgeting slightly with her hands in her lap. Her hair had been styled so that it rested on her left shoulder, which prevented him from seeing her face. Though he couldn’t see her expression, he knew exactly how she was feeling right now.

“Look, we’ll find a way out of this,” he muttered out of the corner of his mouth, placing his napkin on his lap. “We should just go along with it for now until I come up with a plan.”

“I don’t want to go along with it,” she whispered harshly, whipped her head around to face him, her hair swooping. “And besides, didn’t you hear my mother? We have only 2 months until we-“

“Yeah, I know,” he responded just as snide. His eyes looked out at their families sitting together, laughing and conversing without a clue about their dismay. “We just have to get through it. Neither of us want this, so I’ll find a way out. I swear.”

“What exactly are you suggesting?”

“I’m _suggesting_ ,” Scott said leaning closer than her comfort threshold. “-that we just act like we’re in a relationship. And we keep it up long enough for both of us to find other people to marry.”

Scott’s eyes shifted again, trying to ensure that no one was listening to their plans. “I mean, if we were to cause a rift between our two kingdoms by making a fuss about the arrangement, then we’d really be in trouble, right? We wouldn’t want that. So we’ll just act like all is well until we peacefully make agreements with royals of other kingdoms.”

Tessa ran her fingertips along the embroidery of her napkin, not meeting his eyes. She’d been looking for someone to marry for over a decade, and now she had to find a suitor within this short amount of time? Then again, she’d take anyone over the Moir boy at this point, as she so reasoned. “So we’re just going to pretend that this is fine?”

Scott nodded. “Pretend you’re Kaitlyn and I’m Andrew. A happily-arranged engaged couple.”

Just as Tessa cringed at his statement, one of Tessa’s older cousins, a Lord from Quebec, passed by their table, offering the two of them a smile and a quaint greeting. Almost instinctively, Scott’s hand reached onto the table and grasped hers, and he began to thank the Lord for his congratulations.

“We really are in love,” Scott said easily, much to Tessa’s surprise and chagrin. She felt him squeeze her hand as an indication to follow along.

“Yes,” she tried to say as naturally as she could, still surprised at Scott’s smoothness. “It was a perfect match.”

The Lord nodded contently and made his way back to his table, and Tessa let out a breath she hadn’t known she was holding. Scott’s breeziness about their fake romance had completely caught her off guard. It was so simple to him, and if they kept up the façade long enough for the two of them to find other, better partners, they just might be able to get out of this royal mishap.

“See? We can do this,” Scott said confidently, poking her ribs with his elbow. “Just act like you love me.”

 _Act like you love him_ , Tessa thought to herself. _Act like you love him, and you’ll never have to see that Moir boy again._


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> T and S get to know one another, but not without mishap.
> 
> AKA 
> 
> “I hope you find Mr. Right, Tessa.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Sorry this is late. I began school this week haha. Also, I don't know much about tennis so I hope what I wrote makes sense.

The luncheon was nearly suffocating for the two star-crossed actors. They’d hold hands whenever someone walked by and offered false grins to whoever commented on their _lovely_ engagement, all while kicking each other’s shins while the seafood vol-au-vent was being served. Were they being childish? Definitely. Did they care? Absolutely not.

Just as the servers began to balance silver platters piled with desserts on their shoulders, a clanging noise rang throughout the garden. All eyes darted around, trying to find the source of the noise. Even the string quartet paused and waited for the ringing to stop. The slightly-irritating sound was coming from a child banging her spoon against her water glass. Tessa didn’t recognize the little girl, so she assumed she was one of Scott’s relatives.

The child continued to hit her spoon against the glass, then, to the faux couple’s horror, yelled, “Kiss!”

Tessa’s eyes widened as the other children at her table joined in on the spoon-banging, all chanting, “kiss, kiss, kiss,” not ceasing for a moment. Scott wasn’t too happy with his niece, either, especially when the adults joined in on the fun.

Soon, everyone was hitting the rim of their glasses with cutlery, all jovially encouraging the two to kiss. Tessa turned to Scott with a nervous smile, and Scott shrugged, also unsure what to do.

“Do we…?” Tessa whispered, Scott barely able to hear her over the merciless mantra.

“I guess,” Scott said, clearly not wanting to do this any more than she did.

Slowly, the two leaned in, closer and closer. Tessa squeezed her eyes shut, and if her eyes had been open, she would have seen that Scott was doing the same. Quickly, she felt his lips peck hers, but only for a rapid millisecond. She pulled away immediately only to be met with the cheers of their families. Her face flushed with embarrassment, and she glanced at Scott to see how he was feeling.

Scott was equally red, running his hand through his hair sheepishly. He felt a tiny bit of burning shame knowing that, as a child, that was all he ever wanted from her. When she was his school-age crush, he fantasized about a quick kiss much like the one they had just now. Of course, this was prior to her becoming his enemy.

He felt her tugging on his sleeve, and he turned to face her, his face still burning. “You have, um,” she murmured, gesturing to his mouth. “Lipstick. On your face. Sorry.”

He reached up to wipe it away, but when he looked at his fingers there was nothing there. Tessa shook her head and took her own napkin, raising it to his lips. She gently wiped his face, taking great care, and Scott’s eyes never left her. She pulled back and there was a tiny smudge of rouge on her napkin, and, for a tiny moment, Scott felt a weird feeling to match his inner shame. He missed her close physical presence, even for the slightest second, though he swore he’d never admit this to himself. Though he immaturely hated her guts, he’d always remember the memories he had of the childhood in which he loved her from afar.

The remainder of the event passed quickly, and Tessa was absolutely relieved when it adjourned and she began to say her polite goodbyes. As she bode farewell to the last few royal relatives, she found herself underneath the maple tree, standing next to a brooding figure leaning against the trunk. The luncheon had begun a little later in the afternoon and had run late, so the the sun was just beginning to set.

As she watched the sun go down along the horizon, its rays creating shadows through the garden’s trees and bushes, she picked a red tulip and spun its stem around her fingers, not saying a word to Scott whose eyes were closed and arms crossed.

“Two months, huh?” she murmured, admiring the tulip’s vibrant red colour.

“It’s not going to happen,” Scott said assuredly, his eyes remaining closed. “As long as we stick with the plan and we both find other people to marry, we won’t end up with each other.”

“And you’re so sure that you’ll find someone who will put up with your horrendous personality?” she scoffed, raising an eyebrow at him.

Scott still wouldn’t budge, his head resting against the tree bark. “It’ll be so easy for me to find someone. You’ll see.” Then, with some kind of weird pride, he puffed his chest out and declared, “Girls throw themselves at me all the time.”

Tessa nearly cried laughing at the ridiculous statement. Why anyone would possibly want a man like him was a mystery to her. “Maybe that’s not something you should be proud of.”

“Oh? How easy has it been for you to find a royal to marry before being stuck with me?” he challenged, his eyes opening and staring right at her. “I’ve heard about the countless balls and galas your mom has held for you. I’ve also heard how they’ve all failed.”

Tessa crossed her own arms and mirrored him, ignoring the sting of the truth he had stated. The thought of why it was so difficult for her to find a match had nagged at her for years; every unsuccessful search for love had left her with more doubt than the last. For a brief moment, she wondered why she never saw him at any of the parties. _I wouldn’t have wanted him there, anyways._ “Well, unlike you, I actually have standards.”

“Really?” he said, enunciating each syllable and straightening his back. “This should be interesting.”

Tessa watched as the servers cleared the dishes off of the tables and folded tablecloths. She had thought about the right guy for years, but was still yet to find him, if he was even out there. “He’s incredibly kind. And intelligent, like he can keep up a good conversation.”

Scott yawned exaggeratedly and Tessa rolled her eyes. “He has a great sense of humour, that’s important to me,” she continued. “Oh, and he knows how to dance.”

“I can dance,” Scott stated bluntly, still looking at her intently. The sun was nearly gone now and the string lights that were draped along the tree branches began to come to life. It was a pretty sight to see, and she cursed the human obstruction blocking her view.

“Sure you can,” Tessa replied sarcastically. “And besides, I wouldn’t dance with you even if you were the best dancer in the world.”

Before Scott could offer a rebuttal, Tessa turned, her back facing him. “I suppose I’ll see you again soon, unfortunately.”

“Right,” Scott said, his eyes slightly narrowed. Then, with a heavy dose of sarcasm and a tinge of sincerity so small she thought she imagined it, he added, “I hope you find Mr. Right, Tessa.”

 _Me, too_ , she thought, as she walked towards her palace.

 

-

 

As a poached egg and whole wheat toast was set in front of her, recalled the previous night’s events. Seeing Scott, agreeing to go along with his plan, and kissing him ever so quickly was so dizzying for her. It was a lot to handle, and she couldn’t even think about the weight of responsibility she had.

There was no way on heaven and earth that she would marry this man, and she’d make sure of it. It was time for her to search for someone else, and really put in the effort. It was not going to be easy, but the threat of becoming Scott’s wife was enough motivation for her.

Her mother joined her at the table dressed in her comfortable robes, her hands clasped almost expectantly. She looked at Tessa, both eyebrows raised, and coughed loudly.

“Yes, mother?”

“So, he’s a nice boy, right?” her mother said smiling, accepting a mug of coffee from a butler who offered it. “Scott? Did you like him?”

Tessa shifted uncomfortably and patted the corners of her mouth with her napkin, setting down her fork. She didn’t feel right lying to her mother, but she didn’t want to break the façade, either. She knew that her mother would be disappointed again if she disapproved of yet another romantic conquest, but it was beginning to become difficult to fake a smile all the time. Ultimately, she knew her mother would see right through her anyways.

“Well, I mean, he’s okay,” she said simply, not meeting her eyes. “It’s fine. We’re fine.”

Her mother reached over to her and placed a hand on top of hers, a knowing look on her face. “Tessa, dear, you must know how much I appreciate you doing this. I know you’re not very happy about this arrangement, but I believe it’s for the best.”

Tessa’s face softened at her mother’s words. She could only imagine how hard it must be for her to be a queen and a mother at the same time. Protecting a country and a daughter simultaneously bore a massive weight on her shoulders.

“I know, mother, I understand. It’s important for London and Ilderton, and you did what you had to do. I don’t blame you.” Poking her egg with her fork, she looked at her mother’s concerned face. She swallowed, and willed herself to push out the next few words. “And Scott… he’s not so bad.”

Her mother smiled gratefully. “I really do think you two could be happy together, Tessa. Just give him a chance.”

It was hard for her to envision a happy life with Scott when her childhood had been filled with his relentless torment. But she’d do it for her mother and her country, because that’s what princesses do. Even if it meant wearing a mask for however long it took.

  
-

 

“Your Royal Highness, His Grace the Duke of Waterloo has arrived.”

Upon hearing that his friend had come to visit from a butler, Scott bounded down the grand staircase to the palace foyer to see the tall, smiling, lovey-dovey fool that was Andrew Pojé.

“Hello, Scott,” Andrew greeted, his grin never leaving his face. “I haven’t seen you since the race. I find it so funny how you and Princess Tessa see each other again for the first time in decades and then suddenly it’s announced that you’re getting married! Congratulations.”

“So word got around that quickly, huh?” Scott grimaced, recalling the moment he first saw her at the racecourse. She was wearing a nice dress until he accidentally spilled his drink all over her. He smiled in satisfaction at the memory. “How have you been, anyhow?”

Andrew sighed and followed Scott into the ornately-decorated parlor. “The Duchess dove right into the wedding plans. It’s been nothing but flowers and table settings and centrepieces all day. What about you and your wedding plans?”

Scott seemed grim, pursing his lips at the very thought of planning a lavish wedding with that irritating woman. _Ugh._ “Haven’t thought about it yet.”

The two men settled in their chairs and accepted the drinks offered to them by the attending butlers. They mused about the weather and racehorses and the upcoming play that was coming into town. But, as it always did with the love-struck Duke of Waterloo, the conversation eventually lead back to his looming marriage.

“I’ve never felt love like this before,” Andrew gushed, to which Scott resisted the temptation to roll his eyes at his enamoured friend. “I simply cannot wait to see Kaitlyn at the end of the aisle. Don’t you know what I mean, Scott? I mean I know you two have been arranged, but didn’t you always have a thing for her when we were children?”

Scott wasn’t sure what to do. Should he blatantly lie to his closest friend or tell him the truth about his relationship?

“I-well, uh-,” he stammered, sailing unfamiliar waters. He tried to string together a sentence that was logical and maybe not entirely a lie. He raised his drink to his lips to try to cover his face so Andrew couldn’t see his obvious frazzled state. He reminded himself that no matter what, no one could know how much he truly disliked her because it could risk any peaceful connection their two kingdoms had. “Tessa doesn’t seem so bad and all. I guess I don’t mind being arranged to marry her.”

Andrew nodded in understanding. “Ah, so she’s not necessarily Mrs. Right.”

Scott froze at Andrew’s word choice, his cup paused at his mouth. The irony killed him a little inside, and he’s reminded of Tessa telling him all about her ideal guy the night before. _Fucking hell,_ Scott thought dryly. _No, she’s not Mrs. Right. Not at all._

“Well, actually Andrew-"

“Don’t worry, Scott,” Andrew said confidently, giving him a smile. “She may not be Mrs. Right, but maybe she’s Mrs. Right-for-You.”

Scott rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair, chuckling a little. “That must be the sappiest thing I’ve ever heard you say.”

“Just give her a chance,” Andrew said.

 _Maybe_ , Scott thought to himself. _But only because I have to._

 

_-_

  


“Tessa?”

Queen Kate poked her head into the cozy palace library, and upon seeing her daughter sitting at the bay window with _Little Women_ in her hands, she let herself into the room. Tessa lifted her head from the words on the page, the spine of the book wrinkled and old.

“Yes?”

“I have some formal meetings with a few diplomats today,” her mother said as she pulled on her gloves. Tessa always admired her mother’s tasteful and elegant sense of style. Her mother was wearing a long overcoat with a shiny broach pinned to it, and her neck was adorned with pearls and her ears with matching earrings. She could only hope that she could replicate her mother’s look when she was one day queen.

Tessa shuddered. _One day I’ll be the queen. Just like her._ The thought scared her so badly that she couldn’t bear to deal with it, even if it was in the near future.

“Oh, that’s fine. I will just be here reading my book,” Tessa said, preparing to pick up where she had left off.

“Actually,” her mother started, approaching her. “I thought that it could be a good idea for you to spend some time with Scott today.”

Tessa set her book down again, bookmarking her spot. “Why?” Tessa whined. “I _just_ saw him."

Her mother chuckled and sat next to her. “You two are getting married. You need to talk and get to know one another.”

Tessa sighed. _He’s crude, arrogant, and hot-headed, what more is there to know?_

After some deliberation (and after seeing her mother's pleading face), she relented. “Fine,” she huffed. “I’ll see him again today.” _But I won’t enjoy it._

  
-

 

“Your Royal Highness,” the Moir House butler greeted, halting Andrew and Scott’s conversation. “Princess Tessa of London requests your presence at Virtue House this afternoon.”

Andrew looked at Scott quizzically to which Scott shrugged his shoulders. “Why?” Scott asked.

“She invited you to play a round of tennis at her palace. I was told to inform you to, ahem, ‘be prepared to lose’, as she had put it.”

Andrew stifled a laugh and Scott scoffed at the girl’s boldness. The nerves of that one. “I must go, anyway,” Andrew said, standing up and stretching. “The Duchess is likely in need of help with the wedding plans.”

Scott waved goodbye to Andrew, accepted Tessa’s invitation and called for his racquet and shoes. _You’d better bring your a-game, Virtch,_ Scott thought to himself, a sly smile on his face.

  
-

 

Tessa smoothed out her tennis skirt and entered the court, the brim of her visor shading her eyes. She bounced the ball with a hand on her hip and a racquet in her hand, fully expecting to dominate. Her rival wouldn't know what was coming to him. She smiled at the thought.

“I’m prepared to win, Tess,” Scott’s voice said from behind her. “You’re the one who should prepare to lose.”

Tessa chuckled dryly, turning briskly to come eye-to-eye with her lifelong opponent. She shook her high ponytail back and forth and motioned to the court. “Let’s play, shall we?”

Thus, the tennis ball bounced back and forth, both competitors showing off their best moves through strong swings and dramatic grunts.  The ball rarely even went out-of-bounds as both players had met their match. The two played for what felt like hours, not a single pause. It was almost as if all the pent-up frustration about their arrangement was being unleashed through the ball.

“You’re not so bad,” Scott said, huffing. He readjusted his grip on his racquet and wiped his forehead with his other hand. “You play a good game.”

“You’ll never be as good as me,” Tessa said haughtily, smirking at him. “I’m winning.”

Scott scrunched his eyes, shaking his head. “No, you’re not! I am.”

“Have you not been paying attention? I’m up by two points!”

Scott scoffed in disbelief. “You’re not keeping score correctly. _I’m_ beating _you_ by two points.”

Tessa shook her head in response,  “Doesn’t matter anyway. I’ll still win in the end.”

With that, Tessa tossed the ball in the air, and served it to Scott with all her strength. To her surprise, the ball bounced right back to her, but not because it hit his racquet. It had hit his face. Hard.

Tessa brought a hand to her face and covered her mouth in disbelief, the tennis ball bouncing then rolling slowly to her feet. Frozen, she watched as Scott clutched his left eye in agony, groaning in pain. His racquet dropped to the ground with a clang. The unmistakable sound of the ball coming into contact with his face still rang in her mind.

“Argh- Tessa, I wasn’t ready!”

“Goodness!” Tessa cried, dropping her own racquet. She scurried over, easily hopping over the net towards him. She put her hand on his shoulder of Scott, who was crouched over. She kneeled in front of him, trying to see the damage.

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to,” she said hurriedly. Scott still covered his eye with his hand, but through the gaps between his fingers she could see that his eye was already red and teary. “Here, let me help you.”

Tessa slowly helped Scott to his feet and led him towards the palace’s back doors, guiding him out of the court. She felt a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. A feeling that she hadn’t felt towards him before. _Guilt? Worry?_ That was quite a change from pure hatred and malice.

As soon as they were inside, she sat him down on a chair and called for a butler to bring a cloth with some ice, and, if need be, bandages. Scott didn’t say a word, only painful noises. Tessa sat next to him, her eyebrows scrunched in worry.

“I’m sorry, Scott. Let me see.” Almost instantly, Scott pulled away at her touch, and she felt almost sad about it. “Please, Scott, I need to see.”

Slowly, Scott brought his hand down and Tessa couldn’t help but immediately gasp at the injury. His left eye had swollen incredibly quickly, and the skin was patchy and red. His eye was shut closed. Seconds later, he covered it again with his hand and continued to groan. Though she didn't like him, she still felt bad for hurting him.

Tessa accepted the ice and cloth from the butler and put her hand on Scott’s, gently moving it away from his face. As carefully as she could, she brought the ice to his eye, and gave Scott an apologetic smile as he winced and hissed.

“How badly does it hurt?” she asked him quietly, feeling extremely terrible about it. It was her fault. If she hadn’t been so competitive and smug this probably wouldn’t have happened.

“I...well, it’s not so bad.”

Tessa could tell that he was lying and was simply trying to brush it off, but she didn’t comment. “Do you need me to call for a doctor?”

Scott shook his head, and just then Tessa realized that her hand was still holding his. For a brief moment she contemplated letting it go, but decided to let him let go when he chose to. With his other hand, he held the ice up to his eye.

“Can you even see?” she asked, trying to examine it further.

Scott made a feeble attempt to open his eye but cringed at the pain. “No, not really.”

“Scott, I am so sorry,” Tessa apologized again, running her hands through her hair.

Scott chuckled a little and leaned back. He still wasn’t letting go of her hand, not that she noticed. “It’s okay, Virtch. It just goes to show that you’ve got a lot of muscle on that right arm of yours.”

 _Leave it to Scott to crack jokes in a time of peril_. “You know what, you win the game by default.”

Scott shook his head. “No way. I only win fair and square. Therefore, I won by two points, _not_ by default.”

Resisting the urge to bicker with him, Tessa smiled. “Are you going to be okay?”

Scott nodded a little. “Yes. I do feel a little dizzy, though.” He tried standing up, but immediately fell backwards into the chair. “And maybe my head’s throbbing a little.”

Tessa’s eyes were filled with concern as she tried to steady Scott. “You should lay down.”

At an instant, a maid appeared at Tessa’s side. “I can prepare a guest room for His Royal Highness,” she offered, smoothing her apron.

“No, no,” Tessa said, helping Scott to his feet slowly. “The guest rooms are all the way across the Great Hall. They’re too far for him to walk. My bedroom is right next door.”

The maid looked uneasy. “Are you… are you sure Your Royal Highness?”

Tessa nodded. “Yes. Now won’t you help me bring him to my room?”

  
-

 

Scott awoke in an unfamiliar bed in an unfamiliar room, but he was surrounded by a heavenly familiar scent, which soothed him.

 _What is that?_ _Lavender?_

“Scott? Are you awake?”

Scott opened his right eye slightly to see Tessa sitting closely next to him, her eyes upset and lips pursed. He realized that the scent had been her perfume which he had grown to like in his slumber, not that he’d ever admit that to her, anyway.

“Yes, I’m awake.”

“How are you feeling?” He heard her pour water into a glass, and soon he felt the coolness of a cup being pressed into his hand.

“Better,” he said honestly, and sat up a little to take a sip. He felt her hand press against his arm and he looked at her the best he could with his compromised vision.

“Again, Scott. I really am sorry.”

Scott gave her a small smile. “Seriously, Tessa, you say sorry too much. It’s fine, I am going to be okay.”

Tessa still seemed uncertain, so he decided to change the subject to distract her from her worry and his own pain.

“So, this is your room, huh?”

He glanced around the large chamber, noting little things here and there that was a representation of who she was. Across her four-poster canopy bed was a vanity with little illustrations of ballerinas stuck to the mirror, along with tiny pots of makeup and lipstick on the table’s surface. Next to that was a chest of drawers that had boxes of shiny, untouched jewelry on top. He knew that Tessa had never been the type of woman to show off her luxurious life.

On one side of the room was a tall, large wardrobe that had one door open, and he could see that there were many colourful dresses hanging inside. On the doorknob of the wardrobe there was a pair of figure skates, its laces tied and hanging.

“Yes,” Tessa said, beginning to become at ease. “This is my bedroom.”

“Never thought we’d end up in here together,” Scott joked, to which Tessa playfully swatted his arm.

“I never thought we’d end up together at all,” Tessa said quietly, her eyebrows knitted together in thought.

Scott turned fully towards her, trying his hardest to make eye contact. “We won’t, Tessa. We will both find other people. I’m sure of it.”

Tessa didn’t respond right away, as if she were thinking hard about something. “Remember yesterday? In the palace gardens you told me it would be easy for you to find another person to marry. I don’t know if I can say the same.”

Scott's face softened at her unexpected admission. This had clearly been bothering her for a while. “Are you kidding me, Tessa? You’ll find him, I swear. You’ll find Mr. Right.”

“How do you know that?” she said in a small voice. Scott couldn’t help but notice her brief moment of vulnerability. He wanted to make another joke, maybe tease her and remind himself that she was his enemy, but he resisted when he saw her grave look.

“Because you’re beautiful, smart, and funny,” he said too earnestly, the words coming too quickly for him to stop. There was no sarcasm in his voice. Yes, it was true. She was all those things. But that didn’t necessarily mean that he liked her.

_Right?_

The thought bothered him, but he shooed it away just as quickly as it came. He did not like this woman with all of his being and she didn’t like him, and they’d mutually vocalized this enough.

Tessa shook her head, regretting letting her guard down. She seemed a little uncomfortable at his statement, and honestly he did, too. “Whatever. You’re right. I’ll find someone and so will you and this will all be over soon.”

Yes, that’s all he ever wanted. For this to be over. Soon.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> T & S spend a little more time together and maybe they enjoy it more than they thought they would. T learns some new information.
> 
> AKA
> 
> "...maybe I'd be okay with this."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit longer because I had so much fun writing it :) enjoy

“Princess Tessa must be quite the tennis player to give you an eye like that,” King Joe chuckled as he took a seat at the dining table. Scott had arrived back home after his ill-fated game with Tessa and was just sitting down to eat dinner with his family.

“Though painful, I am glad that you two are making an effort,” Queen Alma said, a hint of humour in her eyes. Folding her napkin neatly in her lap, she continued. “However, I do think that you need to do more.”

Scott groaned, and put his face in his hands, wincing at the his injury. “Already? What more do I need to do?”

As the consommé was being served, Queen Alma gave Scott an encouraging glance. “You two need to make a public appearance as a couple. You need to show Ilderton and London that the process of uniting the two kingdoms is going well.”

“Is it going well?” Scott asked dubiously, motioning to his eye. “Is it really?”

Queen Alma gave Scott a warning glance. “It’s important that you two get along, Scott. I think you should ask her to accompany you somewhere.”

Stirring his food around the bowl, Scott sighed. “Like where?”

“Shakespeare’s _Romeo and Juliet_ is playing at the theatre,” King Joe piped, and Scott briefly remembered discussing the play coming into town with Andrew. “You could take her there.”

Queen Alma clasped her hands in delight. “What a wonderful idea! I hear it’s fantastic. What do you think, Scott?”

Scott forced a smile, bringing his spoon to his lips. “Sounds great. Just great.”

  
-

 

“Please tell dear Kaitlyn that I do apologize for not attending the play with her,” Tessa said to the messenger. “I know that we had plans to go together, but Prince Scott invited me to go with him and-“

She looked at her mother, who nodded along. “-I have to go with him,” Tessa continued grimly. “Also tell her that we must catch up for tea sometime soon to discuss her wedding.”

The messenger nodded and scurried off, leaving Tessa with her mother.

“Thank you, Tess. I’m sure you’ll have a nice time” her mother said sincerely. “Make sure you wear something nice.”

“Yes, Mother,” Tessa said, and made her way to her wardrobe as her mother left the room. What was she going to wear? It was opening night of the play and she knew that there would be plenty of other royals in attendance. She could almost imagine it, her eyes scanning the crowd and spotting a dashing duke or a charming earl. The possibility of finding a royal who liked Shakespeare as much as she did was a small thrill for her, so she decided that she would select her finest garments for the night out with Scott.

Shuffling through her hanging clothes, Tessa’s eyes set on a deep navy dress that she hadn’t worn since a charity ball two years ago. The lace sleeves had intricate detail and the bodice was slender but still modest and elegant. She felt excitement bubble within her as she took it out of the wardrobe. _Maybe tonight will be the night that I find him. Then I’ll never have to worry about marrying Scott._

Later, when her hair was curled and her cheeks were rouged, she made her way to the palace foyer upon hearing of Scott’s arrival. Casually, she collected her purse to meet Scott at the door. To her surprise, he was standing in the hall, waiting for her with his back leaning on the wall.

 _He looks nice_ , Tessa immediately thought, and she shook her head a little to rid herself of the thought. It was true, and she hated to admit it. Scott was dressed in a smart blazer with a lapel pin of his family crest, and he wore crisp pants and shined leather shoes. Even his eye looked healed enough to match his composed attire.

Apparently, Scott thought the same of her. Upon hearing her approaching, he lifted his head and his eyes met hers. He stood up from against the wall and couldn’t stop his eyes from travelling from her toes to her hair.

“Wow. I, uh-“ Scott fumbled, and tried to collect himself. He uneasily ran his hand through his combed hair, awkwardly trying to look at anything but her. “Maybe we should go.”

Tessa couldn’t help but feel slightly pleased at his reaction, and she hoped that he wouldn’t be the only royal man who liked the way she looked that night.

“Shall we?” Tessa beckoned towards the double doors being opened by two butlers. Scott allowed her to go through first, which gave her a quick moment to secretly smile in excitement.

 

-

 

Upon arriving at the theatre, Tessa and Scott made their way into the lobby and weaved in and out of groups of chatting, well-dressed individuals. Nobility and royalty alike were in attendance this evening, and Tessa looked around for someone, _anyone_ who could she could focus on other than Scott. When she turned to see Scott, who was following her, she expected to see him doing the same thing; she thought that he too would be looking for another royal to woo tonight. To her surprise, he was still looking at her, but he quickly looked away as if Tessa’s gaze had burned his skin.

Tessa shrugged it off, and the two made their way to their prime seats as everyone followed along. Settling in their seventh-row centre seats, the two got comfortable and prepared for the show.

“I don’t know why we had to sit here, I reserved box seats for us,” Scott muttered. His arm took over the armrest, much to Tessa’s annoyance.

The theatre wasn’t too big and Tessa could easily see some dignitaries seated up in the boxes. “Royals don’t always have to sit in box seats, you know. Those are for people who care about being seen, not for seeing the show. These seats are much better for viewing.”

Scott scoffed. “Whatever you say.”

Tessa’s eyes wandered back up to the box seating and she spotted a man sitting in one, his eyes trained on the stage as if he were eagerly waiting for the show to begin. Even from afar he looked rather attractive, from what she could tell from his styled hair and sharp jawline. Suddenly, the man’s eyes left the stage and scanned the crowd below him, only to land on Tessa’s face looking up at him. At least that’s what she assumed, anyways.

_Is he...is he looking at me?_

Tessa felt her cheeks heat as she smiled at him. To her delight, he smiled back. She didn’t recognize him from any of her husband-hunting parties, much to her relief.

“What are you looking at?” Scott asked, his fingers drumming against his seat cushion. His eyes traveled to where hers had settled.

“Oh, nothing,” Tessa said, turning back to face him. She hoped her cheeks weren’t too red. Furthermore, she hoped that the royal sitting in the box seats didn’t know that she was attending the show this evening with her fiancé.

Scott’s eyes slightly narrowed in uncertainty, but he was given no choice but to brush it off as the play began.

 

_Two households, both alike in dignity (In fair Verona, where we lay our scene)_

_From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,_

_Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean_

_From forth the fatal loins of these two foes_

_A pair of star crossed lovers take their life…_

 

Tessa sighed dreamily as the actors began their scenes in Verona. She thoroughly  enjoyed Shakespeare and all of his clever symbolism, poetic expression, and moving characters. She thought it was a masterpiece being constructed before her very eyes, and it was an honour for her to view the story’s gradual unfolding. The rocky, naive love and the trial of rival families spurred intrigue within her. She loved it.

Scott, on the other hand, already had his eyes closed within the first few minutes, his head propped in his hand. Tessa felt tempted to shake him awake to enjoy the tragedy as much as she did, and she also felt a tiny fear that he would begin to snore, embarrassing her. She tried to focus on the play and pretend that the man sitting beside her was a simple stranger and not her royal arrangement.

It was when Lady Capulet and Nurse discussed marriage with Juliet that Scott began to fidget with his hands. He wasn’t really paying attention at all and seemed quite bored, much to Tessa’s chagrin. She couldn’t comprehend why he wasn’t marveling at the production like she was. _Then again, he is too much of a fool to fully appreciate Shakespeare’s art._

The play continued on, with Tessa becoming absorbed in the characters (and occasionally sneaking glances up to the box seats) and Scott struggling to stay awake. By the time the final act came around, Tessa was so moved by the play that she tried to ignore the unexcited man beside her. As all of the performers stepped forward to take their final bows, Tessa clapped along with the audience, only looking up to see the handsome royal cheering just as enthusiastically as she was. _Well, well, well_ , she thought. _At least someone has good taste, unlike Sir-Sleeps-A-Lot…_

“Ah, is it finally over?” Scott asked, covering a yawn with his fist. “I thought it would never end.”

Tessa scowled. _How rude._ “I don’t understand why you asked me to accompany you if you were only going to succumb to slumber.”

Scott rolled his eyes. “I think you know why we had to go together, Tessa.”

She did, of course. The kingdoms. Always thinking about the kingdoms. _Like a good queen._

Tessa pushed the thought out of her mind and looked up again, and she felt herself deflate a little when she realized that the nice-looking royal had already left his seat. Scott nudged her, and they walked through the aisle back to the theatre lobby. She let her eyes search the groups discussing the play, hoping to catch a glimpse of him.

“I simply cannot fathom why people consider _Romeo and Juliet_ a tale of romance,” Scott huffed impatiently, crossing his arms. “It’s not realistic.”

Tessa sighed, still not looking as Scott as she tried to recognize the royal’s face among the crowd. It proved difficult as she had only seen his face from an awkward angle down below. “It is not supposed to be realistic, Scott. It is supposed to be symbolic, which you clearly didn’t understand.”

“I understand that Romeo’s fatal flaw was his impulsiveness and lack of foresight,” Scott stated, looking at Tessa. “And that the tragedy’s major theme was love and the conflicts it can bring about.”

Surprised, Tessa stopped her search and turned to face Scott. She hadn’t been expecting his analysis, or anything from him. She couldn’t help but be a bit impressed. “Huh. Your comments seem quite significant for a man who slept through the entire show.”

Scott shrugged. “I had as good a Shakespeare education as you did, Tess. I’m not completely oblivious to his work.”

Scott didn’t seem offended at Tessa’s shock, only amused. “You have some good points,” Tessa allowed, tilting her head at him. “But I like to think that true love will always be victorious.”

Scott snorted and shook his head. “Of course you think that. It lasted less than four days and people died, Tessa.”

“Let me enlighten you,” Tessa said, fully facing him head-on, her eyebrow arched. “Though they died, Romeo and Juliet’s love lived on through their respective families’ reconciliation with each other. It shows that love never dies, even if fate tries to kill it.”

“And that was worth their demise?” Scott debated, challenging her. At much as she hated to admit it, the heated conversations she often had with Scott were much more interesting than any of the dull discussions she had had with past royals. In fact, she couldn't recall a time that she had ever debated about Shakespeare's work with a man. It was refreshing.

“Well-”

Before Tessa could argue with him some more, she was interrupted by a tap on her shoulder. She turned and came face-to-face with the mystery royal from above. Her jaw dropped in surprise, but she was quick to close it as she remembered being taught to be prim and proper in charm school.

“Hello,” the good-looking man greeted first. Tessa swooned a little. “Your Royal Highness, Princess Tessa. An honour to meet you.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you too...” Tessa trailed off, giving him a smile.

“Oh! Pardon me. I’m-”

The man’s introduction was cut off when a tall, beautiful woman in a sparkly dress appeared next to him, her arm slinging through his. “Darling, the kids are waiting for us and we’ve got a meeting with the ambassador tomorrow morning,” the woman urged, then noticing Tessa and Scott standing there. “Oh, hello. I’m terribly sorry, but we must run.”

The man nodded in agreement. “Yes, we’d better go. I just wanted to say that I heard about your engagement to that Moir House prince. I hear he’s a great guy. Congratulations.”

With that, the glamorous couple disappeared through the crowd, with a disappointed Tessa standing idle and an entertained Scott behind her. Tessa barely had time to process what had just happened as it went so quickly. Her potential prospect had been taken all along. Even worse, he complimented Scott.

“I didn’t even notice his wife sitting next to him,” Tessa said feebly. She felt small, and a little silly if she was honest.

“We didn’t even catch their names,” Scott said comically, not bothering to hide his growing grin. “And really? She was sitting beside him in a blinding gold gown.”

Tessa turned to Scott in disbelief. “I know you were checking him out, Tessa,” Scott said breezily as they began to make their way to the exit. “Ha, did you hear him? He said I’m great.”

Tessa groaned and tried to push him away. “Don’t let it go to your head.”

The two exited through the entryway, still bickering lightly in their usual manner. However, before they could begin their journey back to their palaces, Scott felt a hand on his arm. He turned, and an old woman was touching him. The woman, who was probably more than a foot shorter than Scott, was dressed in humble clothing and had a warm, inviting smile.

“Excuse me, Your Royal Highness,” she said almost inaudibly in a very soft voice. “I’ve lived in London my entire life, and my husband grew up in Ilderton. I just wanted to say how much it means to me to see the kingdoms finally coming together with you two. It is so nice to see, and I know that my neighbors think the same.”

Tessa felt her cheeks heat up and Scott’s faced blushed a bit as well. “Oh, wow,” Scott said modestly, scratching the back of his head. “Yes, well that is all we’ve ever wanted I suppose.”

“So lovely to see a young couple in love,” the old woman continued to gush. “I’ll let you two have a nice evening now. Take care, I’m excited for your wedding.”

Before either of them could say another word, the woman walked away, blending into the crowd. Scott and Tessa remained frozen in place for a couple of beats, unsure what to say or do next. Even though they had been arranged for nearly a week now, the idea still took some getting used to, especially since it wasn’t part of either of their original life goals.

“Everyone seems to love our relationship,” Scott commented into thin air. He had a weird expression on his face that Tessa couldn’t identify. “Everyone except for us.”

“Not for long,” she reminded him, and the two made their way back home, neither of them saying another word.

 

-

 

“I’d love to have pink peonies in the centrepieces, I think they’re just beautiful,” Kaitlyn told her florist as she buzzed around the dining room. The Duchess of Kitchener’s long dining table was covered with flowers, samples of wine and champagne, patterned handkerchiefs, and sheets of music for the string quartet. Tessa couldn’t even see a speck of the dining tables’ tablecloth underneath all of the wedding debris. Being one of Kaitlyn’s bridesmaids, she vowed to stay by her side through the entire laborious  process. She sat quietly as she listened to her friend give careful instructions to her staff.

“And don’t forget the seating arrangement. It needs to be reorganized,” Kaitlyn said firmly her wedding planner, then brushed her hair out of her bewildered face. She turned to Tessa and shook her head. “Ah, Tess, there’s still so much to do!”

“I’m sure that everything is coming along nicely,” Tessa told her, eyeing a maid behind Kaitlyn who was carrying a tall stack of ceramic plates. “It will be just fine, Kaitlyn. It will be so worth it.”

“You’re right,” Kaitlyn sighed dreamily. “I’m getting married, and so is my best friend! Tell me all about Prince Scott.”

Tessa sucked in a sharp breath as Kaitlyn pulled out the chair next to her and collapsed into it in exhaustion. “Aw, come on, Tessa,” Kaitlyn encouraged, leaning back in her seat. “I need the distraction.”

“It’s going well,” Tessa lied through her teeth. The last thing her friend needed was for her own petty problems to contribute to her wedding stress. “We went to the play last night.”

“Oh, right. I completely forgot about that,” Kaitlyn said, sitting up. “After I received your message about you going with Scott, Andrew and I went cake tasting instead. How did it go?”

“It was fine,” Tessa said simply, not wanting to get into the details of their complicated situation. “The play was really great. The actress who played Juliet was phenomenal.”

“And Scott enjoyed it?” Kaitlyn pushed. Tessa realized what she was doing.

“Everyone in the audience enjoyed it,” Tessa responded, fiddling with her hands. “The cast received a standing ovation.”

Kaitlyn gave her a questioning look, and Tessa tried not to squirm under her gaze. Her short, Scott-less answers weren’t cutting it for Kaitlyn, and she knew it. It was a subject that was too difficult to avoid.

“You know you can tell me anything, Tess.”

If there’s one thing Tessa knew about herself, it’s that she preferred to remain a closed book, unlike her bubbly friend Kaitlyn or the boisterous Prince Scott. She liked to keep her personal feelings within herself, perhaps as a way of protection. Moments of vulnerability were scarce with her, and she liked to keep it that way.

Kaitlyn sighed, her fingers running over the lace patterns on a stack of doilies. “I know you never used to like each other. I remember being kids, and I remember how much Scott would tease you and stuff. I know that can’t really go away, even if you were kids and he was just being an annoying little boy.”

Tessa didn’t say anything, her eyes focused on the wood grain of the floors. It had seemed that in all her life, from childhood to adulthood, she and Scott never managed to get along. It confused her to think that that was supposed to change somehow and last for the rest of eternity. That is, unless, she found someone else to take his place in time.

“Maybe I should tell you something,” Kaitlyn said quietly, leaning closer to her. She briefly looked around her to make sure that no one was eavesdropping. “It’s a bit of a secret that Andrew told me when we heard of your engagement.”

Intrigued, Tessa looked up and leaned in, too.

“Scott… when we were kids he used to like you a lot. Like a major crush,” Kaitlyn whispered, her eyes widening.

This was news to Tessa. In a rush, Tessa moved back, her shoulders smacking against the chair backing.

“I… what?”

Kaitlyn nodded, and Tessa shook her head rapidly. It didn’t make any sense. All her life she believed that her enemy, her polar opposite, had been filled with nothing but hatred towards her. But to hear it was a lie? She couldn't help her opinion of him soften just a tiny fraction.

“That can’t be true,” Tessa sputtered. “He was just so mean to me, like all the time.”

“Kids can be stupid like that, Tess,” Kaitlyn said sympathetically. “Though, I’m pretty sure the crush kind of faded away when you got him banished from the rink and punished for a summer.”

To think that at some point in time, Prince Scott of Moir House did not hate her guts was truly eye-opening to her. She found it hard to imagine a world where there was no annoying, rage-filled bubble in  between them. In fact, she could hardly recall a time when they had had any sort of relative peace between them; their relationship had been riddled with childhood feuds, constant petty quarrels, and swollen left eyes. At the moment they were simply tolerating each other until they could find someone better. _Someone, anyone who’s better. Right?_

“Anyways,” Kaitlyn said cautiously, treading lightly upon seeing Tessa’s dumbstruck face. “I’m sure he didn’t want you to know that. Just don’t tell him that I told you, keep it a secret.”

“Um, yeah, sure,” Tessa nodded slowly. She cleared her throat, and felt a desire to change the subject immediately. “So, tell me about your new seating arrangement.”

 

-

 

After Kaitlyn explained all the intricate details of which family members could and could not sit together, Tessa helped her choose the silverware and wine glasses that were to be used. Just after selecting the knives with the carved handles and the glasses with the gold rims, Tessa said her goodbyes and made her way back to the her palace.

Tessa truly felt befuddled about her situation: Scott bullies her as a child because he likes her and didn’t know how to handle his feelings. Scott becomes her royally-arranged fiancé. Scott suggests that they pretend to be in love so they don’t cause trouble in their kingdoms, all while they simultaneously find other people to marry. Scott. Scott. Scott.

Tessa ran her fingers through her hair, still in disbelief about the circumstances she found herself in. _Maybe in another world, another life this could all be different. It could have been so simple._

Stressed, she instantly fell onto her bed upon arrival to her bedroom, groaning into her pillow. She wished more than anything that she didn’t have to deal with the rocky, wavering path ahead of her. She just wanted to sit back and relax for the first time since she received the news that she and Scott were to be together.

 _I’ll go to the stream tomorrow morning for a quick swim,_ she decided. The quiet stream on the outer edge of town near the border of Ilderton remained untouched and tranquil on Thursday mornings, and she liked to go there to escape from the madness of the palace and the world around her. The palace library, the palace gardens, and the stream were her three most sacred places, and without them she thought she’d go insane in the given situation.

All she wanted to do was think about nothing for a little while, especially when she couldn’t stop thinking about everything.

 

-

 

Tessa brushed past the tall trees, her ears perking up when she heard the quaint sound of trickling water. She found herself at the bank of a small stream, the water clear and inviting. No one else was around and it was just her and nature, just the way she had wanted it to be.

She set her things down next to a tree trunk, slipped off her shoes and shimmied off her sweater. She tied her hair into a neat bun and shivered a little in her swimsuit as the sun had only risen less than an hour ago and it was a bit of a chilly morning. Tentatively, she dipped a toe into the water and yelped at the cool temperature, but then submerged her whole foot and eventually her entire body.

As her body adjusted to the water, she relaxed and tried to focus on the sound of the gentle stream and the slight rustle of wind in the leaves of the oak trees. Finding peace for a just tiny moment was all she ever wanted especially after the various emotions she had gone through recently.

 _This is nice,_ she thought. _This is exactly what I-_

“Tessa?!”

Tessa’s eyes opened alertly at the unexpected voice, and her eyes met the face of a confused and surprised Scott.

“Scott?”

“What are you doing here?” they both yelled at the same time. Tessa screeched and attempted to cover her body the best she could, even though she was wearing a swimsuit.

“I come here for a swim on Thursday afternoons,” Scott said, a towel in his hand.

“Not sure if you’ve noticed, but it’s not the afternoon yet,” Tessa snapped sassily, crossing her arms over her chest.

Scott rolled his eyes exaggeratedly. “I know. I won’t have time to come this afternoon so I decided to come this morning. I didn’t know you came here, too.”

Tessa huffed and swam towards the bank. “Yes, I do. On Thursday mornings.”

Tessa lifted herself out of the stream grabbing her towel quickly and wrapped herself in it. She didn’t look at Scott, yet somehow she felt his eyes on her.

“Hm,” Scott hummed, thinking. “So we’ve just been missing each other all this time, huh? What a coincidence.”

Tessa sighed, gathering her things in her hands the best she could while holding up her towel. “You don’t have to worry about that anymore. I won’t be coming here again.”

Tessa grimaced. First the palace gardens and now her favourite stream were tainted with the memory of Scott. _God forbid he steps foot in my library._

Scott continued to stand idle as Tessa dried herself off. It bothered her that he wasn’t saying anything for once in his life. Not expecting him to say anything else, she began to walk through the path clearing.

“You don’t have to go, you know,” Scott murmured in a low voice, his eyes cast to the blades of grass. “I didn’t mean to interrupt your peace and quiet.”

Tessa paused in her tracks, not yet turning to face him. “I can go,” Scott continued. “You were here first, you should have your quiet time.”

She briefly considered his offer. It was nice of him and she hadn’t predicted that he would say that. She knew she would feel guilty if she turned him away. “No, I mean… you could stay, too, I guess.”

A small smile began to grow on Scott’s face as he quickly hung his towel on a tree branch then jumped into the stream, splashing  a stunned Tessa in the process. Tessa’s jaw dropped as Scott resurfaced, a sly smirk on his face.

“Hey!” Tessa exclaimed, placing her things back against the trunk. She carefully made her way back into the stream, ignoring Scott’s chuckles.

“You said that I should have my quiet time,” Tessa said humorously, acknowledging Scott’s not-so-subtle laughter. She enjoyed the cool water as she submerged herself up to her shoulders.

“You’ve got an entire palace, Tess,” Scott quipped, sinking down. “Why come here for quiet?”

“I could ask you the exact same thing,” Tessa responded, trying to hide her smile. She closed her eyes, trying to relax.

Scott became quiet for a moment, and for a second Tessa thought that he had dove under water. When she opened her eyes, she saw that he was across from her leaning on the opposite bank, his lips pursed and eyes closed. He looked very at ease, and Tessa realized that it was the first time that she had seen him without a shirt on. Her cheeks became a tinted pink so she decided to look away from him.

“I just wanted to clear my head,” Scott admitted to her, not opening his eyes. “Things have been so crazy as of late.”

Tessa nodded. “I wanted to get away,” she told him, skimming the water with her fingertips.

“From me?” Scott asked cheekily, a grin playing at his lips. Tessa didn’t hesitate to splash in his direction, the both of them laughing. Tessa wiped the droplets from her face and let out a big sigh.

“I mean from everything. I was helping Kaitlyn with her wedding yesterday and… Scott, it feels like we’re running out of time so quickly.”

Scott’s face became more serious as he stood up and came a couple of steps closer to her. “We will be fine, Tessa. We will find other people.”

“You keep saying that,” Tessa stated, shaking her head. “How is the search coming along for you, anyhow?”

Scott coughed awkwardly and shrugged his shoulders, the water gently swishing around him. “I- well, I’m not worried.”

Somehow, Tessa could tell that he was lying. She hated how well she could read him. It was interesting to her, seeing worry as an emotion coming from him instead of anger or annoyance. Deep down, she knew that she was getting used to him a little bit more everyday, and maybe the initial malice she felt towards him at the racecourse melted a teeny, tiny bit each time they saw each other. But at the end of the day, they didn’t want to be with each other, and that was that.

Tessa briefly contemplated telling him about the new tidbit of information she had learned from Kaitlyn last night, but decided against it. The last thing she wanted was another awkward conversation or an insult-filled yelling match.

“So you think you’ll fall in love soon?” Tessa asked curiously, tilting her head.

Scott groaned, ducked his head into the water, then came back up for air. “Calm down, Juliet.”

Tessa couldn’t help but laugh at the nickname. “Well? I know you’re not the romantic type and all.”

“Hey, I can be romantic,” Scott argued, shaking the water out of his hair. “And no one has to die!”

Tessa was full-on laughing now, and so was Scott. Suddenly, Scott submerged his whole head underwater, and swam towards Tessa rapidly. Before she could do anything, Tessa felt two hands around her waist pulling her down, and soon she, too, was underwater. Both came up for air at the same time, and Tessa swatted at Scott’s arm, gasping for air and trying to fix her hair bun.

“Scott! How dare you!” Tessa yelled, failing to hide the laughter in her voice. Swooping her hand across the water, she splashed him as hard as she could.

Scott gasped dramatically, then splashed her right back, ruining her hair bun once again. A full splashing war began, with the two sides laughing and yelling battle cries.

“Ha! I got you!”

“God, Tess, you’ve splashed me in my bad eye!”

Silently, she decided that she liked this more than she let on; she genuinely enjoyed the fiery debates and witty remarks, though she’d never tell him that, even if he liked it, too. Even if they were supposed to hate each other, these brief pockets of time where they could stand each other were fun.

  _If I really, really had to without any other choice_ ... she thought. ... _maybe I’d be okay with this._

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love talking to people and making friends, so be sure to follow and message me on tumblr @brighterbolder and leave a comment and a kudos down below here! Thank you.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the pursuit of unarranged romance, S meets someone new. T and S are enemies, somewhat friends, and nothing else. Seriously.
> 
> AKA
> 
> “And nothing more.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long but I had a good excuse! I wrote this chapter, finished it, then decided that the events I wrote moved too quickly and I instead moved those events to chapter 6 and rewrote chapter 5 (which is why this chapter is a little shorter than I had originally planned). This means that chapter 6 is nearly complete already! I hope to update this story at least once a week and get up to 10-12 chapters. Enjoy :)

“You’re joking, right?” Tessa asked him, a grin toying at her lips. “ _ Wuthering Heights  _ is a classic, a true masterpiece by Emily. You are not seriously telling me otherwise.”

Scott raised his shoulders, a smile as big as hers on his face. The two were arguing about which Brontë sister was the superior writer, and neither were giving in. “All I’m saying is that Charlotte shouldn’t be forgotten. Ever heard of  _ Jane Eyre _ ?”

Tessa smiled, leaning her back further into the cool water. The pair had just spent the last hour having friendly debates about all sorts of subjects, rarely coming to an an agreement about anything but still enjoying the conversation nonetheless. Scott especially was having fun. He hadn’t been expecting to see her today and had originally come to the stream to blow if some steam, but this turned out to be a nice change for him. 

_ If this is what getting along feels like,  _ Scott thought to himself.  _ Then maybe it isn’t too bad. _

The two continued to argue about this and that, and after another half hour flew by, they found themselves in silence, the only sounds coming from chirping birds and the trickling water. Scott realized, however, that it wasn’t even awkward. If anything, it was a comfortable silence, which was strange because usually any silence between them was filled with angry tension. He briefly wondered what Tessa was thinking about. It was relieving for him to hear that she was worried about running out of time. He, too, was beginning to feel anxious. He hadn’t even started his search for someone else.

But the thing was, he didn’t even know  _ why.  _ Why hadn’t he bothered to find another person to marry? Tessa was clearly trying, what with her attempting to pursue the man at  _ Romeo and Juliet _ . Something was holding him back and he knew it, but he’d really rather die before admitting it. 

_ I’ll start searching tomorrow,  _ Scott vowed to himself, submerging himself up to his ears.  _ It will be easy. Then this will be over. _

“So what are you doing today?” Tessa curiously asked him out of nowhere, relaxing into the water.

Scott stood up in the water. “Today?”

“You said you couldn’t come to the stream this afternoon like you usually do on Thursdays,” she clarified. Tessa sure was attentive. “Where are you going?”

Scott ran his hand through his wet hair. “I was actually going to go see Babs, my horse. There’s another competition this Sunday and I wanted to speak to her trainer.”

Tessa nodded. “Babs… didn’t my horse Goldie beat her once?”

Scott gave Tessa a crooked smile, recalling the time he spilled his drink on her at the race. She had been so angry and he had secretly found it so funny. He still kind of did, but he also felt a little bad about it now that they were beginning to be nice to one another. “Yes, but just barely.”

“Just barely? She won by a large margin,” Tessa teased, flashing him a grin. Scott found it a little unsettling how easy it was to talk to Tessa, even if they had had such a burning hatred towards each other in the past. She could keep up a real conversation with intrigue and match his every word. _ I guess it’s good to be at least somewhat friends with your fiancee,  _ Scott concluded.  _ Because that’s the most we’ll ever be. Friends. If we can even do that at all. _

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Tessa pulling herself out of the pool, water dripping off of her body and onto the grass. She was so pretty, more so than anyone he’d seen in a long time. Scott looked away like the gentleman he was, trying not to sneak a glance, as if reminding himself that he isn’t supposed to see her that way.  

“I’d better get going,” Tessa stated, drying herself off with a towel. Jokingly, she added, “ _ Jane Eyre _ is waiting for me at the palace.”

Scott chuckled as she grabbed her things. “All right. We’ll probably see each other soon.” Scott almost impulsively added that he  _ wanted _ to see her again soon, but he stopped before the words could fall.  _ God, what is wrong with me? _

Tessa headed towards the path, and when she was nearly out of his sight, she paused, then slowly turned. “Scott?”

Scott could barely hear her as she had already walked a considerable length. “Yes?”

Noticeably, Tessa hesitated, not looking at him directly. “ I, um, I had fun, I guess.”

At her words, Scott felt his heart beat wildly against his ribcage and he was unable to slow it down. He felt his mouth drop open slightly at her unexpected remark. “Peace and quiet’s overrated, anyways,” he managed to say, and she gave him a final smile before turning and walking away. Scott’s eyes followed her figure until she was no longer visible. When he realized he was staring, he ran a hand over his face, sighing.

_ Oh _ , Scott thought _. Oh no. _

 

-

 

Opening the doors of the old library, Tessa took a deep breath, the scent of old paper and candle wax invading her senses. She walked along the perimeter of the library, relishing the feeling of the worn book spines against her fingertips. She went around a tall wooden ladder leaning against the shelf, and stood in front of the bay window. The sun’s rays peeked through the curtains and splashed across her face. The weather was nice outside, but today she felt like settling inside, just her and some fictional characters.

Her eyes traveled along the bookshelves until they landed on the Bront ë collection. Carefully, she picked out  _ Jane Eyre _ , just like she said she would. She hadn’t read this one in well over a decade, and decided to become enlightened with Charlotte Bront ë ’s work as per Scott’s suggestion.

_ Scott. _

No, she couldn’t think of him that way, nor could she dare ponder the way he laughed when they debated, or the way water droplets would roll off his chest. She could not, under any circumstances, think about the way he ran his fingers through his hair or the way he scrunched his nose when he smiled. She couldn’t let herself imagine what it could be like to not have so many challenges before them; it was too dangerous and it strayed away from the plan.

_ The plan _ , she reminded herself.  _ You’re supposed to find someone else. Scott said he will find someone, so that means you should, too. _

Tessa forced herself to ignore the dull ache in her chest as she tried to figure out her next move. Where was she going to find a royal to be with on such short notice? It wasn’t as if the perfect soulmate was standing right in front of her.

Settling in a comfy chair near the window, she relished the feeling of opening the book for the first time and hearing its spine crack slightly. She tried to get lost in the book, but she couldn’t focus. She read the opening sentence multiple times without realizing. Her mind was elsewhere and she knew it, and it irked her deeply.

_ No, _ she scolded herself harshly.  _ You will find someone else. You need to. He doesn’t want to be with you, and you don’t want to be with him. That’s all. _

She firmly decided right then and there that she would make a real effort to find someone else, because that was the plan that she had agreed upon, and she was never one to go off-course. But the only way to do that was to actually go outside.

Standing from her chair and placing the book on a nearby table, she walked over to the door and peeked her head through the doorway. 

“Excuse me,” she politely called out to a butler who was polishing a nearby vase in the hallway. “Do you know of any engagements I might have this weekend?”

“This weekend, Your Royal Highness?” the butler asked. “Why, I believe you have a dinner benefiting children’s literacy if I’m not mistaken. It will be held in the courtyard of the big library near the town square on Sunday.”

Tessa thanked him and returned to her seat, the gears in her mind already beginning to turn.

 

-

 

Upon arrival at his palace’s stables, Scott immediately found a small horse’s mane being groomed by his trainer, with his own horse, Babs, nowhere to be found. Scott greeted the trainer and discussed the upcoming race with her trainer and jockey, commenting on recent scores and other competing horses.

“The Virtue House horse, Goldie, is not competing again until next month,” the jockey informed him. “So I think we have a very good shot with Babs.”

Scott nearly laughed aloud at the irony, not mentioning Tessa and their shared trait of relentless competitiveness. Thinking about Tessa and not having wrath invoked within him was a nice change. “Sounds quite good. I look forward to it. Where is Babs, anyhow?”

All of a sudden, a  _ clop, clop, clop _ sound could be heard, and Scott turned to see a woman on a chestnut-coloured horse riding around the fields. Her hair swayed in the wind as the horse, who turned out to be Babs, gained speed, rounding corners with precision and ease. She looked calm and collected atop the horse, with a quaint smile painting her lips, and she seemed to be around his age. Scott had never seen her before in his life.

“Who is that?” Scott asked the trainer. “Why is she here at the Moir House stables?”

“Your Royal Highness, that is Lady Ashley of Brantford,” the trainer told him politely. Scott had never heard of her name. “She has come to visit your parents for the weekend. From what I gather, she is the daughter of an old family friend, and she’s an avid rider.”

“Oh,” Scott said, a little mesmerized by her skill. The way she held the reins with ease and controlled the horse was impressive. “I’ve never met her.”

Lady Ashley turned her head, as if she had heard him though she was far away. Upon seeing Scott, she commanded Babs the gallop towards him, stopping mere metres in front of Scott. When he saw her up close, Scott could see that they were close in age, not to mention her beauty. 

“Hello there!” she said cheerfully, giving him a big smile. She hopped off the saddle easily, rubbing the head of the horse gently. “You must be Prince Scott. It is such a pleasure.”

She extended her hand and Scott shook it. “Yes, and you’re Lady Ashley?”

She nodded, and looked at him sheepishly. “I hope you don’t mind that I took out Babs for a ride. She really is a beautiful horse.”

“I don’t mind at all, actually,” Scott said, smiling. The woman seemed friendly and matched his outgoing, extroverted personality. She flipped her long, shiny hair over her shoulder and placed a hand on her hip.

“I’m sorry that you weren’t informed of me staying here for the weekend, it was rather last minute,” she explained apologetically, her smile ever present. “I heard of the race on Sunday and I thought I’d drop by to see it and visit King Joe and Queen Alma at the same time.”

An idea popped into Scott’s head, and as soon as he thought it, he couldn’t remove it. “Why don’t you attend with me?” Scott asked impetuously, the tune of  _ follow the plan, follow the plan _ chanting in his head. “It’ll be great fun and we can cheer on Babs together.”

Lady Ashley smiled graciously and nodded. Without skipping a beat, Scott invited her inside for a cup of tea, and the two made their way back to the palace, both talking excitedly about their equestrian pursuits. Scott didn’t think about the stream for the rest of the afternoon.

Talking to Ashley was extremely enjoyable, Scott decided. She had the same sense of humour as him (laughing at even his worst jokes) and liked all the same things that he did. Aside from horses, she liked hockey among most sports, and she didn’t have much of a taste for theatre by her own admittance. They talked in the palace parlour for what felt like hours, bringing about new topics of conversation that the other expanded on enthusiastically, and it neared sundown. Their discussions were pleasant and polite without the fiery heat he was used to and he did not mind at all. It was easy talking to her; not once did they disagree on anything the way that he and Tessa constantly did. 

_ Tessa. _

Scott hadn’t thought about her since that morning. The memory of their constant yet fun debates while they swam was pushed into the back corner of his mind. As far as he knew, Lady Ashley didn’t know about his engagement, and if she did, she didn’t mention it. Instantly, the original plan popped into his mind. He was supposed to find another royal to marry and Tessa was to do the same. And the girl who sat before him on the sofa could be the perfect match, or, as he had pondered days ago, the cliche “Mrs. Right”.

Scott wasn’t even sure if Lady Ashley was with anyone at the moment, but when she casually mentioned her brother’s recent marriage and didn’t mention one of her own, he knew that she must be available. And, if she was a family friend, it could possibly mean that their two kingdoms were already on good terms with each other. Scott was amazed at how well she checked every single box on his newly-formed criteria for the right match.  _ She has everything I’m looking for _ , he thought incredulously. _ Maybe it’s meant to be. _

She was nearly the exact opposite of Tessa. She had light colored hair and blue eyes, and she concurred with everything that he said. He’d be lying if he said it was not weird for him to meet her the same day he realized he actually didn’t mind Tessa too much.

“How does that sound?” Ashley asked, a dainty smile gracing her lips. She looked at Scott expectantly and he realized that he had missed what she had said since he was thinking about Tessa.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t quite catch that,” Scott apologized, to which Ashley patiently explained to him that she had been invited to attend a charity dinner on Sunday, after the race. Scott couldn’t help but think that Tessa probably would’ve rolled her eyes at him not listening to her. 

“Won’t you come with me?” she pleaded, her eyes sparkling. “I know we’ve just met, but I won’t know anyone there. It would be nice to have someone to talk to.”

Deciding that he needed to follow the plan, he nodded. “Sure. I’d love to go.”

 

-

 

The rest of Thursday and later Friday passed by her in a flash, with Tessa speaking to an increasingly frazzled Kaitlyn and diving into  _ Jane Eyre.  _ Occasionally, when she stared at the swirls of steam rising from her mug of tea and ran her fingertips along the edges of the book, her mind would somehow wander over to Scott and the way they had laughed together at the stream. There had been a sense of joy running through her veins that she could not just deny. Somehow, she didn’t reject the thought, nor was she instantly repulsed by him like she used to be.

The Scott she knew now had certainly grown up from when they were kids, obviously. He wasn’t an annoying bully who made fun of her awkward, clumsy limbs nor did he incessantly humiliate her in front of their peers. She recalled the way he used to poke fun at all her insecurities and how it deeply contrasted to the way she now felt comfortable around him. The childhood trauma scarred her for sure, but with the right treatment, she figured that maybe some scars could heal. After all, it had happened about twenty years ago, and though she was stubborn as a mule and would never want to admit it, maybe it was time to move on.

Sometimes, if she let her mind go there, she wondered if Scott felt the same spark that she did when they got along so well. It was new and refreshing, so different from their constant, tireless arguing. It almost made her want to see him again.

When Saturday lazily rolled around, she found herself debating whether she should send a message out to him without the strong encouragement of her mother. Usually, Queen Kate would urge her to spend time with him to make their eventual marriage easier, but this time she felt like she might be able to take the initiative herself. After all, it was for the good of the two kingdoms and not simply because she felt like seeing him again. Right?

“Prince Scott is occupied at the moment as he has a guest at the palace,” the butler informed her after she had asked him to pass along an invitation to Moir House. She thought that a casual lunch might be suitable so she could give him her opinion on Charlotte’s book. “However, he’s available later this evening as his guest is going out with his parents.”

“Sounds swell,” she nodded, already wondering what she should wear. Then again, it was only Scott and she didn’t have to impress him, even if she did admit that she had fun spending time with him as some sort of pseudo-friend.

 

-

 

Scott arrived at the Virtue Palace Saturday night, thankful that Lady Ashley was at an event with his parents and curious to see why Tessa had invited him over for seemingly no reason. Though he had had a lot of fun with her on Thursday, he couldn’t let himself go there because it wasn’t fair to himself or to her, even if he possibly did feel  _ something  _ when they laughed together. They’d already agreed to find other people, and Tessa didn’t want to be with him. And that was final. Besides, Lady Ashley and him could talk all day and not tear each other apart, and he was fine with that.

“So, why’d you summon me, Virtch?” Scott asked her casually, pulling out his dining room seat. She sat next to him and took a sip of the glass of water that was given to her by a butler.

“Do I need a reason?” she asked him, taking a seat herself. Scott had arrived that evening right on time just like he said he would, and he couldn’t help but recall how she looked in a swimsuit two days ago at the stream. He felt his cheeks heat up a bit so he took a sip of water as well. He decided not to question why she asked if she needed a reason, not wanting to dwell too much in his mind.

“Well, you don’t like me and we don’t want to be with one another,” he said slowly, as if he were confirming it. “So, yes, I would say that you need a reason.”

Tessa looked taken aback but didn’t offer an explanation. He was already confused about their entire relationship dynamic, and now she was voluntarily inviting him over for dinner even though she swore up and down that he was her mortal enemy, somehow confusing him further. One second they’re enemies, the next they’re having fun swimming, the next he swears he’ll find someone else, and then she’s invited him over for no reason. It was a confuddling circumstance.

“It’s not that I don’t like you necessarily,” she fumbled to say, not looking him in the eyes. “It’s just that we aren’t going to be together.”

“Exactly,” Scott said, still confused. He gave her a questioning look. “So, why am I here? There’s no one around to see us getting along.”

“There wasn’t anyone to see us getting along at the stream, either,” she pointed out without a filter, and her mouth immediately shut closed. Scott felt a grin creep up his face as he realized that Tessa had somewhat missed him and wanted to see him again. That was her reason for inviting him over, even if she would never directly admit it. He’d be lying if he said that he had wanted to see her again too, that is, before he met Lady Ashley after the stream. Not wanting to end their banter, he silently decided not to mention Lady Ashley.

“So you just wanted my company?” he said smugly, crossing his arms in amusement. 

“Kaitlyn is busy and I missed having conversation,” she confessed, her cheeks turning pink. “And I can tolerate you.”

Scott couldn’t hold in his laughter, smiling as he said, “I can tolerate you, too, Tess. And if you wanted to hang out, you could have just asked. Maybe we wouldn’t be good for marriage, but we could be friends at least.”

_ Friends.  _ The words felt weird on his tongue. Scott couldn’t help but notice the minuscule way Tessa’s face had fallen ever so slightly at his last sentence, but then her face perked up again, as if to cover whatever feeling she had felt. In the end, he and Tessa could never be more than friends if they could only be tolerating enemies when they could stand each other. Enemies to friends to anti-lovers. That was the Tessa and Scott relationship conflict.

“Yeah, okay,” she agreed quietly, not looking at him directly. As if to break up the weird energy between them, she humorously added, “We can be enemies, we can be friends, but that’s all.” 

Deciding to make their time together more comical the way he liked to, Scott brought up their argument about the Bront ë sisters and their discussion began to liven, the fire burning once more. They debated and laughed again just like their time in the stream on Thursday, this time with Tessa talking about her refreshed thoughts on the book. Like always, they agreed on absolutely nothing, but things were light and airy between them. 

_ This is what it’s like for us to be friends _ , Scott thought.  _ And nothing more. _

-

 

On Sunday, Scott attended the race accompanied by Ashley. He had much more fun than he thought he would, with the two of them deeply engrossed in conversation and cheering on his horse all the way to the finish line. Ashley was effervescent and carefree, laughing aloud without regard for who could hear her and greeting everyone she saw with a polite smile and a hello. She radiated bright light as if she were the sun. 

“I’m so happy that Babs won,” Ashley expressed to him, holding down the brim of her hat to keep it from flapping in the wind. “She’s a great horse.”

“Yes,” Scott nodded smiling at her. The two began to exit the stands, Scott’s hands buried into his pockets. “She’s quite stellar.”

“It’s a shame, though. I heard about another great contender who wasn’t competing today from the lad sitting behind me. Goldie, was it?”

Scott briefly paused in his tracks then sped up his pace to keep up with her. He didn’t want to think about Tessa, at least not while his plan was in action, even if they did have fun the previous night. “I think she was the Virtue House horse,” she continued, not noticing his hesitation. “I’d love to see that horse compete with Babs. I’m sure that Babs would still win, though.”

Scott had to physically bite his tongue from mentioning Tessa’s horse and her competitive win streak. After his time at the stream and his small dinner with Tessa he found that it was difficult for him to not compare the two women, especially when he was in such a complicated situation. Ashley was so kind, and they got along so well that he figured she was exactly his type. On the other hand, Tessa was also kind, just not always to him. The woman infuriated him beyond belief, but their good moments together almost made it seem worth it. 

But at the end of the day, he couldn’t be with Tessa, and it would only hurt them both if he even slightly entertained the possibility. Both him and Tessa had made a pact to find other people and end their royal arrangement. Ashley seemed to like him just as much as he liked her, and that was going to be enough for him. It had to.

“Yes, Goldie is from Virtue House. She's actually the horse of a, um, friend of mine.” Using the word “friend” in regard to Tessa still felt a little weird for him, but he ignored the feeling.

“I suppose we will head back to your palace to prepare for the charity dinner tonight?” Ashley asked him, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.  

“Right,” Scott nodded. “But, if I’m being honest, big, fancy parties like that aren’t really my thing.”

Ashley threw her head back in laughter and nodded. “I agree. I’m not a fan, either, but I’ve been asked to attend. I’d much rather go for a horse ride or play some golf. But children’s literacy is important, right?”

Scott smiled at her, deciding that maybe this is what was best for him. That’s all he could hope for, anyways. All the best.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love talking to people and making friends, so be sure to follow and message me on tumblr @brighterbolder and leave a comment and a kudos down below here! Thank you.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> T and S attend a dinner, but not with each other. Both have conflicting feelings and confusing thoughts, and somehow things get even more difficult.
> 
> AKA
> 
> “...he deserved to be happy, but was he, really?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the long wait for this chapter! It was already written but my beta reader has been away for a little while (so please excuse any grammar mistakes, I'll have time to look over this chapter this upcoming weekend). Thank you for being so patient :)

 

Tucking her pastel pink lipstick into her purse, Tessa made her way to her table, greeting other invitees on the way. The courtyard of the town library was marvellously decorated for the occasion, with warm string lights hung across the pillars and book-themed centrepieces placed on the tables. The crowd was buzzing about the event, everyone dressed in their nicest clothes. A group of musicians in the back played gentle, soothing tunes. Tessa couldn’t hide her delight when she saw that each guest had been gifted a wrapped book placed delicately in each place setting.

As she approached the table, just past the centrepiece she could see the head of his someone already sitting there. Upon further inspection, the person’s hair seemed familiar and he was wearing a navy blue blazer.  _ Scott. _

“Hey, Tess,” Scott greeted, giving her a small smile when she was within hearing distance of the table. Tessa smiled back, briefly recalling the fun morning they had had at the stream and their small dinner at her palace. She wondered why he was even here as she knew that events like this were more her specialty than his. 

To her surprise, Scott stood up from the table, and so did someone else. Dressed in a glamorous, elegant green gown with perfectly curled hair and pearls was a woman she didn’t recognize. She gave Tessa a big smile, clearly excited to be there.

“This is Lady Ashley of Brantford,” Scott told her, stepping aside so the two could shake hands. Confused, Tessa shook the woman’s hand and the woman shook it jovially, her pearl bracelets bouncing about.

“Such a pleasure, Princess Tessa,” she said graciously, her grin never leaving. She somehow seemed eternally happy. “Scott told me you were friends. I’m happy to meet you.”

_ Friends? _

“Likewise,” Tessa said, still unsure of what was going on. The way she had said that Scott told her the she was only a friend felt strange to her, but then again she wasn’t really sure what she and Scott were at all. She was his temporary fiancée of sorts and she knew that, but could they even be considered friends at all given their rough history? She had no idea what exactly they were. It was a puzzle she couldn’t quite piece together.

_ Why didn’t Scott tell her that we are arranged to be married?  _ Upon looking at the woman closer, she saw that she was absolutely stunning, and Tessa immediately knew the answer to her question.  _ Oh _ , she thought with a slight tinge of dejection.  _ He’s pursuing her. Right. _

Tessa realized that she had to get back on track, just like she had decided the previous day at the library. The charity dinner tonight was filled to the brim with royalty and nobility, and it was her chance to find someone because evidently Scott already did. 

Tessa noticed that her name was placed on the spot on the other side of Scott, so she sat daintily, Scott sandwiched between the two women. 

“Would it be so bad if I were to unwrap this book right now?” Lady Ashley whispered loudly to Scott, thumbing the twine wrapped around the wrapping paper. Her book was thick and sat in front of her, the gift likely calling her name. She giggled to him and he chuckled back. “I’m so curious.”

“Sure, I’ve never really been one to follow the rules, anyways. I’ll open mine as well.” 

Simultaneously, the two untied the knot of twine and unwrapped their books, with Tessa simply watching them in silence. She didn’t want to open her book until the end of the event, when she was back in her own palace library. 

“ _ Les Miserablés _ by Victor Hugo,” Lady Ashley read aloud, the thick book cradled in her hands. “Oh, I hope it’s the translated version. My French is not the best.”

“You know,” Scott said, turning fully to Lady Ashley. Tessa could now only see his back. “My father made me go to French lessons for an entire summer when I was young. It was terribly boring.”

Tessa rolled her eyes at his story while Lady Ashley laughed. “That sounds just awful,” Lady Ashley said to him, her eyes filled with light. “What book did you get?”

Scott read the title of his book, still facing only Lady Ashley. “ _ Wuthering Heights  _ by Emily Brontë.” 

Tessa had to keep herself from scoffing, her brow furrowed.  _ You’ve got to be kidding me. _

“What’re the chances, eh, Tess?” Scott turned his head towards her, a goofy smile playing at his lips. Before Tessa could smile back at their shared connection, another figure approached the table, pulling out the chair next to Tessa. 

“Hello, everyone,” a quiet voice said. Tessa looked up and saw that it was Patrick, one of Andrew and Scott’s friend from the horse race. He was dressed in a fine tuxedo and had a shy smile on his face. Sitting down, he nodded to Tessa.

“Hey, Chiddy. How’s it going?” Scott asked conversationally, reaching around Tessa’s back to clap his friend on the shoulder.

“All is well,” he responded. “But I hear a congratulations is in order for you and-“

“This is Lady Ashley,” Scott interrupted him quickly, gesturing to the woman in green. “Of Brantford. She’s staying with my family.”

“Hello,” Lady Ashley politely greeted, reaching over to shake Patrick’s hand. “Nice to meet you.”

Tessa tried to ignore how it felt when Scott avoided talking about his arrangement with her. She convinced herself that that was what he had to do, after all, because it was all about the plan. The very plan she couldn’t help but become slightly sick of.

This is what she had wanted all along. For Scott to find someone else and for her to find someone else because neither of them could just marry their childhood enemies.  _ But that’s the thing, _ ” Tessa realized, the thought intruding her mind and refusing to leave.  _ It was only our childhood. _

The four of them were joined by an older noble couple to complete the table of six, the couple talking mostly amongst themselves. Ashley and Scott proceeded to engage in conversation about horses or sports or something that Tessa wasn’t too interested in. She stayed silent as the two became engrossed in their own discussion. Her relief came when the speeches for the benefit began and the appetizer round came around the tables on silver platters. 

As salmon tartare was placed in front of each of them, Tessa noticed the way Scott’s nose wrinkled slightly.

“Not my favourite,” he whispered, leaning over to Ashley. 

“Me neither,” she admitted, and the two smiled at their similarities as Tessa cringed, taking a bite of her own meal. 

“You know, I think they have caprese salads,” Scott said, placing his napkin on the table. “I can go ask one of the waiters.” 

With that, he got up from his seat in search of a waiter with the Italian dish. When he was gone, Lady Ashley turned to Tessa, obviously in a happy mood. Her joyful energy radiated off of her and bounced onto Tessa.

“He’s great, isn’t he?” Lady Ashley said to her, and Tessa nearly swore she could see the stars swimming in the woman’s eyes.  _ Oh, no.  _ “We have so much in common. I like talking to him.”

Then, the internal battle commenced once more. Tessa was torn between telling this girl the truth or following the God-forsaken plan like she was supposed to, because that’s what they’d agreed upon and that’s what Scott was doing. Then again, there was that tiny spark of something unidentifiable at the stream and at dinner. But was it worth ruining Scott’s pursuit?

She could feel something painful in the pit of her stomach whenever Ashley and Scott gazed so lovingly at each other, and she did not like the feeling of resentment that presented itself whenever she forcibly looked away. She was jealous, and that was a harsh yet honest truth, and Scott couldn’t care less about her in the moment. But she couldn’t cause a scene, nor could she get in the way of Scott unfolding his half of the plan. Though she wanted to push away Ashley and laugh with Scott, Tessa knew that morally she couldn’t be with him because, well, he just didn’t want her. And that was that.  _ Ouch. _

“Yes, he is a good guy,” Patrick agreed before Tessa could say anything. “He knows how to treat people well.”

“I know,” Lady Ashley nodded. Her face started to blush a little as she said, “I don’t understand why he’s not with anyone yet.”

Surprised, Patrick opened his mouth to correct her. “Actually-“

“He’s  _ such _ a good guy, you’re so right,” Tessa butted in, shifting to block Ashley’s view of Patrick. “Really nice. Really kind. All that.”

Tessa figured that she couldn’t keep Scott from finding his own romance, after all it was the right thing to do. If Scott didn’t want to marry her, that should be his choice and he could execute the plan if he wanted to. Even if she wasn’t entirely sure if  _ she _ wanted him to. 

“You’re so lucky to have known him for so long,” Lady Ashley said genuinely. “Though, I’ve only known him for a couple of days and it feels like we’ve known each other for years.”

Tessa nodded, somber at her statement. Lady Ashley was so nice and it was difficult to dislike her. She was absolutely beautiful and somehow too nice, and Tessa felt small next to her. But Scott deserved to be with someone who he didn’t constantly fight, and Tessa knew that she had to respect that.

“Caprese salads!” Scott exclaimed, coming out of seemingly nowhere placing two dishes on the table. 

“Ah, thank you, Scott. You’re a lifesaver,” Lady Ashley said gratefully, her eyes almost heart-shaped. The two dug into their meal, Scott telling her his adventure of talking to the head caterer. Tessa couldn’t help but see how well the two of them fit together, like it was meant to be. 

“Hello, everyone, may I please have your attention?” a voice called from the centre of the courtyard. Silence fell across the yard and Tessa recognized the woman speaking. She was the head of the charity, an old woman with a knack for kindness.

“I know you are just beginning our meals, but we here at the committee do not want to go another minute without acknowledging our extremely generous donor,” she spoke eloquently, her eyes searching the crowd. “The donor has been an advocate for children’s literacy in her own kingdom and has given us the biggest donation we have ever received.”

The crowd began to hum quietly, everyone wondering who the mysterious donor could be. 

“The money we have raised will go towards the children’s section of the library and the children’s programs,” she continued. “I’d like to please ask Lady Ashley of Brantford to stand so we can all commend her for her generosity.”

Tessa’s mouth dropped slightly as Lady Ashley’s cheeks flushed with colour, Scott clapping enthusiastically beside her. Modestly and slowly, Lady Ashley stood, smiling at the applauding guests. She bashfully waved at them before sitting back down, her face still tinted pink. 

“Ash, I had no idea you donated all that money,” Scott said incredulously, placing a hand on her shoulder. “You really are amazing.”

“Oh, Scott,” Lady Ashley blushed again, swatting his shoulder. “You’re too kind.”

“No,” Scott insisted, looking at Lady Ashley right in the eyes. “You are.”

Tessa had to physically move and face Patrick as she couldn’t stand to hear the flirtation. She realized that the burning in the pit of her stomach was some kind of messed up tiny form of jealousy. She hated this feeling and willed it to go away. Funny enough, if someone had told her that’d she’d be jealous of a woman pursing Scott a month ago, she would have laughed in disbelief until her belly ached.

“So, Patrick,” she began to distract herself. “How are you?”

“I’m well, thanks,” Patrick said, but he seemed distracted himself. His eyes weren’t on Tessa but were instead trained across to the far end of the courtyard, darting around. 

“Are you looking for someone?” she asked him curiously, and Patrick snapped his head to look at her and shook his head.

“Um, no, sorry. What were you saying?”

Tessa turned to look where his eyes had once been, and a long distance away she saw a pretty woman looking back at her. The woman’s eyes immediately widened and she looked away when she saw it was Tessa staring and not Patrick.

“Who is that?” she asked him, her eyebrow arched. “And why do you two keep looking at one another?”

Patrick shook his head again, suddenly very interested in his butter knife. “No one. Nobody. So, how is the wedding planning going?”

Tessa glanced worriedly behind her, wondering if Lady Ashley had heard him. She didn’t seem to as she was doubling over in laughter at a joke Scott had made. “Uh, it’s…”

“Not going at all, I presume?” Patrick asked, a smile playing at his lips. “I found it bizzare that Lady Ashley had no idea that you and Scott are an arranged couple. She seems to really like him, so she might be lead on.”

Tessa groaned quietly, wringing her napkin in her lap. “I know. It’s a strange situation, Patrick. Mine and Scott’s relationship is just really complicated, you wouldn’t understand.”

“Maybe I would,” he said almost wistfully, his eyes wandering over to the girl across the courtyard then coming back to Tessa. “Anyways, I hope that things will work out for the both of you.”

_ Me, too, _ Tessa thought, as she glanced over at Lady Ashley giving Scott a particularly adoring gaze.  _ Me, too. _

 

_ - _

 

When Patrick had disappeared somewhere and Lady Ashley was chatting with the organizing committee, Tessa was finally alone with Scott, aside from the older couple seated on the other side of the table paying no mind to them. Third-wheeling Lady Ashley and Scott’s conversation had been nothing short of agonizing for her. Though Lady Ashley attempted to include her whenever possible because she was just that caring of a soul, Tessa was still on the outside looking in as Lady Ashley and Scott indulged in their similarities all night. They even already had inside jokes that she wasn’t a part of. 

Seeing Scott unabashedly flirting with another woman was so strange for her. Just when they had begun to get along, he found someone, just like he was supposed to. She and Scott argued and debated and it was so amusing for both of them, but now she figured that him having a civil discussion with a pretty woman for once was probably some kind of relief for him. 

Tessa couldn’t deny it; she saw it in front of her very eyes. Lady Ashley and Scott had bubbling chemistry together, and she really was ideal for him. She was gorgeous, graceful, friendly, and outgoing just like him; they were almost too compatible. And if she and Scott were going to be friends, she was faced with no choice but to be as happy as she could for him, even if she had to ignore the dull pain that lay in her core. She reasoned that she had no right to be jealous, even if they were engaged, because they’d both agreed that their arrangement wasn’t what they wanted at all. At least, it definitely wasn’t what Scott wanted.

“Quite the party, eh, Tess?” he remarked, placing an elbow on the table. “This is totally your kind of thing. Books and socialite events.”

Tessa sighed, not being able to help looking at Lady Ashley across the courtyard talking to the chair of the committee, a picture of sophistication and elegance. “I guess so.”

“Something wrong?” he asked her, propping his hand up to rest his head. He was completely focusing on her for the first time all night, his attention not divided only because Lady Ashley wasn’t there.

“No, nothing,” she insisted, shaking her head. She was beginning to detest how well he could read her. “I’m just tired, I guess. How was your day, anyhow?”

If Scott didn’t believe her excuse, he didn’t show it. “The horse race was today. Babs won.”

Tessa nodded, briefly recalling her horse trainer telling her that Goldie would not be competing in that day’s competition. “Oh. How pleasant.”

“Yeah, it was really fun,” Scott smiled, as if he were recalling the memory. “I went with Ash. She’s great.”

Tessa couldn’t tell if he was purposely trying to make her jealous or if she was just being paranoid, but she decided that he wasn’t as he hadn’t been cruel as of late and there was a genuine glow of happiness coming off of him. Selfishly, it bothered her for reasons she didn’t want to think about. 

“She really is something,” Tessa allowed, forcing a smile and hoping it was not too obvious. Again, if Scott noticed he didn’t point it out.

Suddenly, the tone of the music changed and a soft melody played throughout the courtyard, and the older couple seated at their table lead the way to the clearing in the middle of the courtyard. They were followed by several other couples who began to sway back and forth to the music. 

“Hey, Tess, we should probably dance,” Scott whispered in her ear, and she could have sworn that her heart leaped in her chest and she could not contain it.

“Really?”

“Yes,” Scott said. “There are people here from our kingdoms. It’d be good for them to see us dancing together.”

“Oh,” Tessa said, hiding her slight disappointment. Her heart sunk right back into her chest and she disliked the feeling. “You’re right. Fine.”

When Scott offered his hand out to her, she took it and rose from her seat, allowing him to lead the way to the dance floor. She kept analyzing every little thing about their interactions, even the way her small hand fit like a puzzle piece in his. But it was too risky for her to think this way, even if the thoughts crept into her mind when she least expected them to.

When they found themselves surrounded by dancing couples, Scott placed a hand on her hip and clasped his hand in hers, easily stepping in tune to the music. 

“Don’t step on my toes,” she warned jokingly, following his steps. 

He gave her his classic goofy grin. “Of course I won’t, Tess.”

Naturally, he lead the way, their beats following each other in perfect harmony, as if they had practiced this before. She was surprised at his ease and his skill and honestly impressed. They danced along to the music so fluidly and it was better than she could have ever imagined. She even forgot where she was in the moment, because it was only the two of them with their fingers intertwined and his hand on her waist and hers resting on his shoulder. It was almost as if they were meant to do this together. 

“See, Tess?” he murmured into her ear. “I told you so.”

“Hm?”

“Remember at the luncheon when our engagement was announced?” Scott reminded her. “You didn’t believe me when I told you I could dance.”

Tessa smiled at the thought, and she recalled bickering with him then as per usual. She couldn’t forget the brief, barely-there kiss they had shared either, and the way both their cheeks had immediately reddened and how they had both pulled away so quickly. The two laughed quietly at the memory which seemed so long ago even though it had happened relatively recently.

The magical moment didn’t last too long as Scott’s eyes moved past her and settled on something, or rather  _ someone _ else. Tessa didn’t have to look behind her to figure out who. 

“She’s really nice, Scott,” she said, somehow knowing what he was thinking. “Really.”

Scott hesitated before speaking, and she could tell that he was trying to tread carefully. “I think, Tess… that maybe she could be-“

“I know,” Tessa interjected, knowing exactly where he was going with the sentence and not wanting to hear it. “Good. You’re following the plan.”

Scott seemed uncertain, his eyes searching hers for some kind of emotion. “You’re sure?”

Tessa faked another smile and squeezed his shoulder. “Yes. You deserve to be happy.”

Scott gave her a small, lopsided smile, even though his eyes were still laced with a trace of doubt and another emotion that she couldn’t quite determine. “Yeah, um, thanks, Tess. You, too.”

They continued to dance in silence for a few more moments, Tessa relishing the feeling before someone approached Scott from behind, a perfectly manicured hand appearing on his arm. 

“Mind if I cut in?” Lady Ashley asked politely. Her body was turned towards Tessa but her eyes were only on Scott.

“By all means, go ahead,” Tessa told her, instantly missing the presence of Scott’s hand on her hip. 

Smoothly, Lady Ashley took Tessa’s place, and she whispered something funny into Scott’s ear and his shoulders shook with laughter.  _ She makes him happy _ , Tessa thought.  _ They’re perfect for each other _ .

As the two danced wrapped up in each other, Tessa slipped away back to their empty table. She took her purse and the book gift, and without anyone noticing, she left the courtyard with one last lingering look at the pair. Deciding that she couldn’t be there any longer, she left, not bothering with goodbyes as she had already said her worst, most painful goodbye.

Arriving back to her home, she went inside the library, the palace too cold and empty to venture all the way back to her room. Placing her purse on a nearby table, she took out her gift and unwrapped it slowly, untying the twine gently. 

Her book was none other than  _ Jane Eyre _ , and she chuckled dryly at the irony. She placed the book right next to her own copy on the shelf.  Now she had two copies of the same book, and one reminded her of a happy memory and the other of a memory she wanted to forget. 

 

-

 

Giggling and filled with champagne bubbles, Scott walked with Ashley down the corridors of his palace, his hands clutching her book and his own. He lead her to the hall of guest rooms and she pointed towards the one that she was staying in. Lingering in the doorway, she turned to him, her eyes alight and bright.

“It’s my last night here, you know,” she told him, taking her book from his hands. She brushed a strand of hair from her face but if fell right back in front of her nose. “I’m only supposed to be visiting for the weekend.”

Scott then had a small battle within himself. He knew what he could say right then and there, he knew that he could ask her stay a little while longer. And, judging by the way she was looking at him so expectantly, he knew that she would say yes. 

But what would her saying yes entail for him exactly? If he asked her to stay, that meant the plan was on and solidified like it was supposed to be. Ashley would be it for him, not Tessa. He had to be sure that that was what he wanted. And he wasn’t sure, that was the thing.

He had tried to focus on only Ashley all night and tried his best to not think about Tessa too much, even though she had been sitting right next to him unenthusiastically joining the conversation from time to time. When Tessa had assumed he wasn’t looking at her, he would glance her way to make sure she was still there, almost like a reflex. He had to physically turn himself away from Tessa to make sure that he was only focusing on Lady Ashley. He’d felt a bit bad about purposefully ignoring Tessa and turning his attention on Ashley throughout the dinner, but he had to carry out their god-forsaken find-other-people-to-marry plan. But later he felt the urge to dance with Tessa and the moment was too perfect to pass up, and he wanted to burn the image permanently into his brain so he wouldn’t forget it. The way she had gripped his hand and stepped in perfect time with him with the music was so lovely for him. But then Ashley came and he danced with her and enjoyed it, too, albeit disappointed that his time with Tessa had ended. But the way he had danced with Ashley couldn’t possibly compare to the floating, ethereal feeling he had felt when dancing with Tessa.

But that feeling couldn’t last for the sake of anything, he concluded. He couldn’t let himself feel that way about Tessa because she didn’t want this arrangement, and, as he had been trying to convince himself all night, neither did he. Though deep down he felt something towards Tessa that he couldn’t deny, logic told him that he should be with Ashley because him and Tessa couldn’t possibly work. They were supposed to be enemies and somewhat friends, and anything more could make the situation more difficult than it already was. Besides, Tessa didn’t feel the same way as him, right? 

It was so confusing. They’d had fun at the play, the stream, and she’d even invited him over for a quaint dinner at her palace. But Scott couldn’t be sure if it was because she secretly felt the same way or if she really did just want to be friends. After all, Tessa did tell him that he should go for Ashley while they were dancing at the event. Tessa had said that he deserved to be happy, but was he, really?

After the song ended, he had searched for Tessa and couldn’t find her, but didn’t have any time to locate her as Lady Ashley grabbed his hand and pulled him in the other direction. And now they were here, standing in front of her door, on the last night of her stay with the Moir family.

“Your last day, huh?” he smiled, and brushed the strand of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. He felt his feelings conflicting within him but he tried to ignore it and focus on the heart-eyes girl looking up at him.

She nodded, and Scott hadn’t even noticed that they had gotten physically closer. Ashley’s eyes darted to Scott’s mouth then back up to his eyes, her chin tilting up slightly. She leaned in and automatically he did, too. Closer and closer and closer…

And he kissed her. 

Lady Ashley looked taken aback, a hand flying up to touch her face. He had kissed her on the cheek, and neither of them had expected him to do that. She looked a little embarrassed, and she was clearly expecting more than a quick peck. Scott felt embarrassed, too, his eyes widening and his voice lost.  _ Stupid,  _ Scott thought, not understanding why he did that at all. But he had a small sense that it may have had something to do with a dark-haired, green-eyed woman who had left the event without a word.

Trying to repair the situation, Scott fumbled for a bandage. “Stay for a while longer,” he blurted out, trying to ease the uncomfortable tension that was beginning to settle. He hadn’t thought this through. He was being way too impulsive and his decisions were rash and muddled with conflicting intentions. 

“I, um,” Lady Ashley stuttered, obviously confused at his mixed signals.  _ First you dodge her kiss and then you ask her to stay? _ Scott cringed silently.  _ What are you even trying to do? What do you even want, Scott? _

He really wasn’t sure, and he had to make the situation better somehow. So, he said the first thing that came into his mind, which unfortunately happened to be, “My friend Andrew’s wedding is coming up. You should come with me.” 

As soon as the words came out, he wanted to take them back and stuff them down his throat so he could die right then and there. What was he doing? He was only making it messier. His brain was telling him to do this, to pursue Ashley and to follow the plan that him and Tessa had agreed to so they could end the arrangement. But his heart...

“Okay,” Lady Ashley said, nodding slowly, she, too, trying to make sense of it all. “I’ll stay here and I’ll go with you.”

Scott didn’t know what to feel in the moment except confusion. He liked Tessa but he couldn’t be with her, and he liked Ashley and he  _ should  _ be with her, but he liked her in a way that was different than the way he liked Tessa. This was getting too complicated to handle and he wished that everything could be simpler and there were no plans to follow and no frenemy conflicts. He couldn’t identify what was drawing him to Tessa more so than Ashley, but whatever it was sure had to be stopped before it was too late. 

_ It’s already too late, you fool,  _ Scott scolded himself.  _ You’ve invited Ashley to be your wedding date yet you can’t stop thinking about Tessa. You absolute idiot.  _

Even worse, Ashley still wasn’t aware of their royal arrangement, nor did she suspect that he and Tessa were anything more than old friends. And, if Tessa herself didn’t find someone within the next couple weeks before Andrew and Kaitlyn’s wedding, then Scott was probably supposed to attend the wedding with her and not Ashley.  _ Crap.  _

“Sounds good,” Scott gulped, then turned on his heels quickly, leaving Ashley standing at her door confused and uncertain. As soon as he rounded the corner, he leaned his forehead against the wall, cursing himself for making his already difficult situation all the more difficult. 

_ Ashley and Tessa,  _ he thought miserably, scrunching his eyes shut.  _ Who could possibly be right for me at this point?  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, both S and T are VERY conflicted about their feelings about each other... I wonder what will happen ;) follow me on Tumblr and shoot me a message @brighterbolder, and remember to leave a kudos and a comment. Thank you thank you thank you


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